Till Death Do Us Part
by Team Damon
Summary: She's a smart, ambitious young woman with her entire future at her fingertips. He's a man who's seen horrible things in his lifetime and has done even worse. She feels too much sometimes and he doesn't feel at all, but they can at least agree on one thing - they absolutely hate each other. Modern day arranged marriage/Bratva AU, Bucky/OC
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Heyyyyy everybody! *waves excitedly* Now that** ** _Life After Death_** **has at long last been concluded, I am unbearably excited to get my next full-length fic underway, this little baby right here :D This is going to be quite different from anything I've written before and it's definitely a unique take on Bucky and Summer, which is probably a very good thing considering how much I've written about them already lol. I have been chomping at the bit waiting to get to start writing this for MONTHS, and it's already my favorite thing ever and I'm only one chapter in, lol. I hope you guys like it and enjoy this first chapter! I'm gonna try to update once a week, and I just really really hope you guys like this as much as midnightwings96 and myself do. It's gonna be one heck of a ride, that's for sure :D my thanks to you guys for reading, and my thanks to midnightwings96 for coming up with the premise of this fic and SO MUCH of the details and ideas, and for just being an amazing person. I'll see you guys soon! Leave a review and let me know what you think! :D**

Sitting at the top floor of a skyscraper, waiting outside of her father's office and watching as the clock behind the receptionist's desk tick-tocked away, Summer let out a breath and wondered what the heck was taking so long. She picked up her cell phone and checked her email, but there was nothing new and nothing to pass the time with, which had been the case for the last 20 minutes.

She clicked off the phone and dropped it into her purse, then picked up a book that she'd forgotten she kept stashed in there for boring moments like these. She admired the cover of the book for a moment, unable to help but stare in awe every time she gazed upon the glamorous power couple who had authored the book. They were not only at the helm of one of the fastest growing and successful corporations in the country, but they were also...

" _So hot_ ," Summer sighed. When she realized that she had said that out loud, she looked up and, to her chagrin, saw that the receptionist was now eyeing her rather strangely. Summer smiled and held up the book for her to see, chuckling uneasily and gesturing to the photo in question as if to say _well, can you blame me_ , then let the smile fall off of her face when all the woman did was stare even more judgmentally.

Deciding to ignore the receptionist and pretend that she wasn't now horribly embarrassed, Summer opened the book to a random page and started reading somewhat aggressively. Mild humiliation aside, the authors of the book really were her role models and the bearers of the standard that she hoped to meet one day, even more so than her own father. Much more so than her father, if she was being honest.

A few moments passed, and she looked up when the door to her father's office opened and two older men that she didn't recognize walked out. They looked at her as they passed by, something about their gazes making her feel inexplicably uneasy. She looked away, able to _feel_ their eyes still, and she only felt normal again once they had cleared the area.

 _Weird_. She shook it off and refocused on the book in her hands, but that was when she heard the door open again, followed by her father's voice.

"Come on in, Summer."

She looked up and felt that sense of unease come back tenfold. The tight, pinched smile on his face and the almost white-knuckled grip that he hand on his door was more than a little alarming. She closed her book and threw it back into her purse, stood up and smoothed out her office-appropriate skirt, then walked past him into his office.

"Dad, are you okay? What's..." She trailed off after he closed the door and her eyes flickered to her mother, who she didn't expect to see sitting there in front of the large desk. The fact that her eyes were red-rimmed and her features appears distinctly irate was even more concerning. She hardly ever had a hair out of place in public, always dressed to impress - almost a little _too_ impressively sometimes - and never looking anything like well-aging glamorous blonde that she was. But something had clearly broken that image today.

"Take a seat, honey," her father said, ushering her to sit next to her mother.

Her mind raced as she did as he said, taking the empty seat and almost immediately blurting out, "Am I fired or something?"

"No," he chuckled, leaning against the desk. He rested his hand on the surface of it, almost touching the plate sitting on engraved with the words _Michael B. McAdams, Chief Executive Officer_. "No, you're not fired."

"Oh. It's just, I know I've made mistakes during this apprenticeship, but -"

"You've done nothing wrong," her mother said, sniffing and then turning steely eyes on her husband. "Just get on with it."

Summer looked at her in great confusion, then at Michael as he said, "I'm trying to, Lizzie."

Summer's eyes widened. "... Are you dying? Are you sick? What the hell is going on and why are you two acting like somebody died?"

"Yeah, why don't you tell her?" Lizzie asked Michael, eyes flashing angrily.

He pursed his lips and dragged a hand across his face before biting the bullet and finally coming clean. "I've... I've made some mistakes during my time here. I've made mistakes with this company, with... funds and... other resources."

"... What kind of mistakes?" Summer asked, having no idea what to expect.

"The kind that gets people into trouble that can get them killed," he replied truthfully.

Summer's eyes widened. Then her mother sighed and said, "Just _spit it out,_ or I will."

Michael again eyed his wife both wearily and a bit pained before he followed her advice. He looked his only daughter in the eye and said, "We've been working with the Russian mafia for some time now. I've kept it hidden well. Lizzie didn't even know. And last year, I... mishandled a few accounts."

"He blew a few million dollars on gambling alone," Lizzie interjected somewhat bitterly, Nobody could have blamed her.

Summer's eyes grew less panicked and more sad and disappointed as she turned back to her father and asked quietly, "You've been gambling again?"

Michael nodded, shame as clear as day in his eyes. "And... thanks to my... errors, I nearly exposed the company's... less legal activities. I needed their help to cover it up, and they did, but... in order to keep the company afloat and keep us alive, I had to make some major concessions."

"... To the Russian mob?!" Summer gaped. What she was listening to barely qualified as English in her mind, it was so entirely bizarre. "What kind of concessions?"

"We're going to merge with the corporation that most of their operations are conducted through," Michael replied. "Pierce Consolidated. And... to ensure our compliance and silence... they took... extra precautions. And I want you to know, Summer, that I never wanted anything like this for you. This is the last thing that I ever wanted to agree to, but it's keeping us _alive_. I had no choice."

Summer's heart was pounding in her chest. A thousand worst-case scenarios ripping through her head, she asked barely above a whisper, "What?"

Michael paused, unable to look either her or his wife in the eye as he replied, "You... you have to marry one of them. Their American captain. To them, it's insurance."

Whatever Summer had expected, whatever she had feared and whatever increasingly far fetched things she had come up with... this was the very last thing she ever would have expected. Shock overcame her like ice, her ears suddenly ringing and face burning, and she couldn't get a single coherent word out. She simply stared at her father - her _father_ , who had sold her to the _mob_ like cattle, it seemed - and gaped in disbelief.

"He's... there's no way out of it," he added. "He runs all of their operations here in the states. I've never met him - hardly anyone has - but Summer, I promise you, as bad as this is, it's a blessing compared to what they could have done to us."

Lizzie went from watching Summer with concern and tears in her eyes to glaring at Michael. "A blessing? That's what you call this? You sell your daughter to the devil and its a _blessing_?"

"At least she'll be alive," Michael replied desperately. "Do you have any idea what they would have done to her if they hadn't given me a second chance?"

"And whose fault is that? Who put her - who put all of us - in that position to begin with?"

"I know, _I know,_ but I'm protecting her. I'm doing everything I can to protect this whole family."

"And you're handing her over to a man we don't know, who could be 80 years old for all we know or worse, _young_ , who could do God only knows what to her for the rest of her life!"

As her parents argued, Summer found that she couldn't breathe. Her airway was restricting and every attempted breath burned down her throat, her vision narrowing and all the classic signs of a severe panic attack taking hold of her. There was nothing she could do - she was as powerless to the panic as she was to everything else.

Her choice, her free will, her hopes and dreams... what were they now? What would become of her?

She looked up at Michael, the one man in the world who she was supposed to be able to trust to protect her and keep her safe, and he had just given her away. Regardless of his reasons and the desperation that had led him to make such a decision, it was the sharpest sense of betrayal that she had ever felt in her life.

She stood up, glared at him, and didn't say a word as she turned to leave.

Michael blinked, watching her leave. "... Sweetie?"

"Don't you _sweetie_ her," Lizzie replied. "Let her go."

He didn't listen. "Summer, _please_ -"

Summer whipped around just long enough to point one shaky finger at her father and say, "I can't believe you would do this to me. I don't want to hear anything you have to say. I don't even want to _look_ at you. Just stay away from me." She glared at him just long and angrily enough for him to realize just how much damage he had done not just to her but to heir relationship. Then she dropped her hand and turned around, nothing in the world able to stop her from storming out.

Summer threw the door open and kept walking. She didn't look back once, not once she got on the elevator nor after she left it, and not even once she was back on the streets of Manhattan, walking as quickly as her feet would take her.

She felt the tears stinging her eyes and a few escaping down her cheeks as she walked, but she didn't care. She was usually one to try to hold back her tears, but what was the point now? She was terrified and confused and mad as hell, and if she had the passing thought in the midst of it all that it would have been better if Michael had died in the car accident that tore her family to pieces before she was old enough to even talk, she refused to feel any shame in it.

In mere minutes, her entire plan for the rest of her life had gone up in smoke. Now she had to mourn that life, in between fearing and dreading the one that she was now being forced into against her will.

* * *

Later that night down at the docks, long after darkness had fallen over the city, a shadowed and silent figure sat motionless atop a sleek and unseen motorcycle hidden behind tall, locked crates. He watched and waited, his focus laser-sharp and unbreakable and all the more deadly for how undetectable it was.

It was a routine delivery, one that didn't require his attention according to some of his colleagues. When they didn't think that he could hear them, those colleagues talked about his almost unnatural devotion to his job and how he lived up to his fearsome reputation in ways that made even the most hardened of them shudder. But he always heard them, always heard the whispers and caught the occasional stares, and the truth was... he didn't give a single shit what any one of them thought about him.

He knew who he was. He knew what needed to be done and what didn't. And it was that strength and that resolve that had made him who he was today.

And who he was wasn't pretty.

The shipment arrived without fanfare. His men received it and began loading the boxes filled with top-quality Russian weapons into the truck they'd driven there, and all seemed well. It showed all the signs of a routine delivery and reception, but he knew in his gut that it wasn't going to be simple.

So he continued to watch and wait. And when the last box was loaded, a gunshot rang out and struck one of his men in the chest.

Just as he'd suspected. There were going to be some fireworks tonight, after all.

He had personally trained every man present on that dock to fight and kill with skill and precision, but despite how competent that _should_ have made them, he watched them put up a fight that made him sigh with shame and impatience. They could tear up a training room, but in the face of an ambush from the Bratva's most stubborn and deadly enemy - the Chinese Triad - they fell apart.

And _that_ was why he was there.

Triad fighters clad in their usual all-black descending from seemingly out of nowhere and laying waste to his men, he waited for the right moment to intervene. None of them had died yet, and they deserved the beating they were getting for being so useless under pressure. He waited until it looked as if all was surely lost and the shipment was going to be intercepted, and when he gut told him that the timing was right, he turned on the motorcycle and flipped the lights on at full power.

Half of the men turned and squinted at the light. He hit the gas and drove full speed right towards the small swarm of bodies, and while some fled in time, two Triad members didn't. He angled the bike down to one side and then drove it right over them both, leaping from the seat on impact and hitting the ground in a smooth roll that allowed him back on his feet before his two victims had even finished screaming.

He stood tall and still for a moment, eyeing each of his enemies with startlingly blue and unmistakably dead eyes. He was dressed in all black, down to the leather gloves on his hands, and his long dark hair was knotted at the back of his head to prevent obscuring his vision.

The other men came to a halt as well, each one of them looking at him with recognition in their eyes, as much hatred as there was fear. They knew how this was going to end. They knew that it was over and that their attempted interception of the weapons shipment had already failed. They knew this, but pride and duty prevented them from making the intelligent move and escaping while they could. It defied their senses of logic - how could one man be such a highly skilled team's downfall?

But when it came to the man known as the _Winter Soldier,_ that was exactly what he specialized in. And now it was their turn to find out.

The first man that struck out at him screamed from a broken arm and cracked ribs before he could even land his hit. Then, like a switch had been flipped, they all converged at once and then it was a brief but significant display of brutal elegance.

Bucky took them all down, one at a time and sometimes two at a time. He never even drew his own weapons, instead taking one man's gun out of his hand and firing it right at his face, and bending one man's arm backwards and catching the knife that tumbled from his hand in mid air, flipping it around and jamming it in his neck.

By that point, most of the men had fled, but there was one who remained. There was _always_ that one who liked to stay and try to prove himself, and Bucky wasn't above toying with his prey before killing it. Not tonight, anyway.

He lured the man into a facade of a fight, letting him falsely think that he was worth the effort and that he just might stand a chance if he fought hard enough. He punched and kicked and jabbed with a pocket knife, and Bucky dodged and ducked and let him frustrate himself before he tired of his own game and decided to bring it to the quickest end possible.

As the man grunted and groaned with effort, Bucky silently danced around him, grabbed the back of his shoulders for leverage and then swung his legs into the air and ultimately around his neck. He clamped his thighs around the man's face and with one smooth, forceful twist, snapped his neck. The man crumpled to the ground and Bucky landed back on his feet, chest heaving with deep breaths and eyes fixed on the limp body on the ground.

They were always the same, men like these. But that didn't stop Bucky from enjoying the calm, almost indulgent sense of satisfaction he felt whenever he ended another one of their worthless lives.

But there was work to do. He lifted his head and turned around, focusing his attention now on his men, who were mostly all back on their feet and staring at him with a mixture of fear and awe.

He scowled at them. A few of them flinched at just that one small twitch of his lips.

"Disgraceful."

With one word, each of their faces paled.

"Each and every one of you is a fucking disgrace and a waste of my fucking time. I take you in, I give you the chance to prove yourself, and for what? So I can babysit you every fucking week, clean up your messes when you can't do the job I fucking trained you for?"

They were all petrified. _Good_ , Bucky thought.

"Clean this up," he said, gesturing to the three bodies that laid on the ground. "Do your fucking jobs. And after tonight, you're all sidelined until you can prove to me that you're worth a damn at _anything_. If anyone's got a problem with that, I don't have a problem adding another body to the pile. I won't hesitate."

None of them said a word. Bucky fixed them with one more witheringly scornful glare before turning and heading back to his motorcycle. He picked it up off of it side and wiped off the seat, noted a few chips in the paint job following his use of it as a murder weapon, and then he mounted it once more and zoomed off.

He headed home, having no idea of the unpleasant and very much unwelcome surprise that awaited him there.

* * *

The sprawling, multimillion-dollar manor was quiet when Bucky returned. He left the motorcycle in the garage and made his way inside, moving through the mostly darkened entrance and up the winding staircase that led to his rooms at the top of the mansion. His leftover adrenaline had mostly waned, but he still wasn't particularly tired despite the late hour as he opened his door and stepped inside.

He stopped short in the doorway, taking in the light of his bedside lamp and the redheaded assassin lounging on his bed as if she owned it.

"Hey there, loverboy," she said cheekily, the familiar slight rasp of her voice hitting his ears and making him wonder if maybe his night wasn't over quite yet.

He closed the door behind him with his foot. "Didn't expect to see you in here, Nat."

"Why not? Am I not here enough?" she asked, raising an amused eyebrow. "Unless I'm mistaken, these sheets still smell like me."

He unzipped and dropped his leather jacket, tossing it on an armchair and then working on his shoes next. "Blame the staff. They should have washed them for me by now."

Natasha rolled her eyes, changing the subject. "Enjoy your night out?"

His expression darkened as he tossed off his boots. "Triad was there to intercept. Would have succeeded if I hadn't been there."

"Your men disappoint you again?"

"They're amateurs," he muttered, peeling off his shirt and tossing it on top of his jacket, leaving an unfairly tight black tank on his body. Natasha didn't miss the opportunity to let her eyes flicker over him, lingering along the tattoos visible on his arm and peeking under the top of his shirt. "Fucking useless amateurs."

Natasha chuckled under her breath as she gracefully slid off the bed, strolling over to the armchair to pick up Bucky's leather jacket and hang it for him. "You know, as much as you complain about their incompetence, I think you secretly love being needed so much. What would you do if you they didn't need you to save the day?"

He was in the bathroom now, washing his hands and making low scoffing noise in response to Natasha's theory. "I'm tired of wasting my time training them when they're gonna fall apart the minute someone aims a gun at them. Waste of time and effort."

"So you'd rather take their place? Be a one man army?" Natasha asked, closing his closet door.

He dried his hands and walked out of the bathroom, eyeing her as he muttered, "Might as well cut out the middle man." Then he approached her from behind, looming over her small and deceptively petite frame as his hands went to her waist. He leaned down and nuzzled his nose against her neck, murmuring, "You're wearing too many clothes, _little spider._ "

"Am I?" she smirked, looking down and watching his hand as it drifted up and started to unbutton her shirt.

"I don't know why you bothered wearing anything at all," he replied, only to pause with mild confusion when she placed her hand over his and stilled his efforts.

"Well, because I don't sleep with married or engaged men, no matter how attractive they are."

His brows furrowed and he stared at Natasha as she turned around and looked up at him in a way that had him as confused as her nonsensical words did. "What?"

"I have news," she told him, fixing the buttons of her shirt. "News I'm not exactly supposed to know. But we both know I have my ways of getting the information that I want."

" _What_?" he repeated, starting to lose his patience.

"You're aware of the mess that Michael McAdams made with some of our accounts, yes?"

"Yes," Bucky replied. "I set the terms of the merger myself."

"Well... it turns out that Pierce wanted a little extra assurance that McAdams would stay loyal during the transition, and after. His redemption required a bit of collateral, so to speak."

"Meaning _what_ , Natalia?" Bucky snapped.

"You're marrying his daughter," Natasha replied bluntly. "Pierce arranged it himself."

The word shock didn't quite cover what Bucky felt in that moment. In just a handful of seconds, his mind ran the gamut of everything from denial to disbelief to _angry_ denial and finally just sheer anger. "Pierce... arranged a _marriage_ for me?"

She nodded. "I looked her up. She's pretty. Degree in business management from NYU, and -"

"He can't do this," Bucky interrupted, his eyes getting a faraway and increasingly irate look about them. "I won't do it. I'm not marrying anyone."

"I'm not sure either of you are getting much of a choice," Natasha replied gently.

Bucky stared at her long and hard for a moment, as if she was the one to blame for all of this, and then he turned and trudged off to his bed. Then he sat down on the edge of it, staring blankly at the floor and wondering how the hell this could be happening.

Natasha sat next to him, putting a comforting hand on his knee. "It might not be so bad. Worst case scenario, she lives here for a few years and once everything settles down, you get a quiet divorce and go your separate ways."

Bucky shook his head, eyes still unfocused as he stared and let his mind race a mile a minute. But his thoughts kept going back to the same thing, the part of this that made it all the more cruel and unbelievable that Pierce would do this to him.

"He was there when... when I... when everything happened," Bucky muttered. "He _knows_. He..."

"He doesn't make decisions based on our personal well-being," Natasha replied. "Neither does Strucker. He already approved it, by the way."

Bucky looked at her sharply. "They both approved this without even _talking_ to me first?"

"From what I understand," Natasha replied, "they plan on Skyping you from Moscow tomorrow."

Bucky drew in a hard breath and turned away from her. Alexander Pierce, the man who had once held Bucky's title of Captain and had taken Bucky in as a newly orphaned child and molded him into the man he was today, knew better than almost anyone else alive why Bucky would find an arranged marriage to be a fate worse than death. He had _been_ there. He had seen all that Bucky had endured, all that he had faced and all that he had _lost_ , and how it had changed him.

He realized he would have to wear a damn tux one day soon and marry this stranger in a sham of a wedding. They would have to pose for pictures and appear to all the world a happy, devoted couple. She would have to live there at the manor, and this girl, whoever she was, would probably hate it just as much as Bucky did.

And the worst part of it all was that Bucky, in what little of his heart remained in him after all the years and all that things that he'd done, would be dishonoring the memory that he held most precious.

"I won't do it," Bucky muttered again, almost as if he wanted to convince himself rather than Natasha.

"I wish you didn't have to," Natasha replied. "It's not right. But it's not really about right and wrong, is it?"

Though he hated it, he knew that she was right. Right and wrong were concepts for children, little more than fairy tales at this point in his life. Life was really about duty, vengeance and staying alive. He knew that better than anyone, and his work in the pursuit of those things is what had earned him the codename of the _Winter Soldier_. He did the work that others couldn't and _wouldn't_ , and he never backed down or failed.

He wouldn't fail this time, either. He could protest and object and fight it until he was blue in the face, but in the end, he would always get the job done. He would always do what needed to be done, even if it tore him apart.

"What's her name?" Bucky asked through an emotionless scowl.

"Summer," Natasha replied.

He almost laughed. _How ironic_.

* * *

A knock to Summer's apartment door that night jarred her out of her intense late-evening Googling session. Throwing off the blanket draped over her lap and brushing off the cookie crumbs on her shirt - she liked to eat when she was stressed - she got to her feet and hurried to the door.

She opened it to find her mother standing on the other side, looking exasperated. "What the hell, Summer? I know you're freaked out, but you don't answer any of my calls or texts? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"No, I'm sorry," Summer groaned, standing aside to let Lizzie in. "I've just been constantly panicking and freaking out since I left Dad's office. And you know how I get when I'm freaked out."

"Yeah, you hide in your apartment and eat cookies," Lizzie sighed, looking her over after she closed the door.

"I made the cookies myself, at least," Summer shrugged. "You want some? They're jumbo M&M cookies."

Lizzie paused. "Fine. _One_ cookie. And don't tell my trainer."

Summer rolled her eyes and then gestured to Lizzie's short, pale pink dress and white heels. "And _this_ was what you threw on to come over to my apartment?"

"Well, I have an image to maintain, you know," Lizzie replied. "Besides, this is one of my more conservative dresses."

"I don't think I even own one that short," Summer remarked as she headed into her small, somewhat messy kitchen to retrieve a cookie.

"Oh yes you do," Lizzie told her. "That black one I bought you for your last birthday, which you haven't even worn once."

"I felt like my butt was gonna fall out when I tried it on!" Summer chuckled, returning to her mother with the cookie in hand.

"Honey, you'd have to _have_ a butt for that to happen," Lizzie pointed out, taking the cookie from her. Then they both started laughing.

Once the blessedly lighthearted moment had passed, Lizzie took Summer's hand and asked her quietly, "Are you okay, sweetie?"

"No, not really," Summer laughed humorlessly. "I don't think I've ever been this scared in my life. I'm more scared than I was when I almost killed myself totaling my car freshman year of college, or... when I found out Tom Hiddleston was dating Taylor Swift."

Lizzie cringed. "That was a difficult time for all of us. Come on, sit down," she said, pulling Summer to the couch. "All jokes aside, I know this is absolutely horrible and I'm _this_ close to killing your father and making it look like an accident."

Summer sighed and sat on the couch next to Lizzie, sinking into the cushions and laying her head on her shoulder. "I just... it's so _weird_. Like yesterday everything was normal, I was working for Dad and doing my job, and then today I find out he's involved with the mob - the _Russian_ mob - and then that oh, surprise, now I'm gonna marry some big scary mob boss?! How does that even _happen_?"

"I know," Lizzie sighed, hugging her close. "I can hardly process it either."

"I mean, what if this guy's like 70? Or a psycho who's gonna kill me in my sleep, or... worse? And I don't even know his name!"

"I do," Lizzie told her. "That's actually one of the reasons why I came over. I got the guy's name out of your father, and I figured we could Google the hell out of him."

Summer's eyes widened and she suddenly jerked upright, reaching over Lizzie's lap for her laptop and exclaiming, "Holy crap! What is it?"

"Pretty generic, unfortunately for us," Lizzie replied once Summer's computer was settled in her lap. Lizzie noticed three open tabs containing the words "Russian mob" and "Bratva" in one combination or another on the screen, and it didn't surprise her that her daughter had been researching the hell out of _that_ all night.

Summer pulled up a new Google tab and then looked at Lizzie expectantly. She then divulged, "James Barnes."

Summer wrinkled her nose. "That _is_ generic. There's gonna be a million of those in this city." She paused. "And it sounds like an old man's name."

"It could be young or old," Lizzie nodded. "But look on the bright side. He could have a terrible last name, like... Wiener, or Higginbotham. Can you imagine? _Summer Wiener. Summer Higginbotham._ I don't know which is worse."

Summer's eyes widened as something rather obvious dawned on her. "I'll have to take his last name."

Lizzie gave a sympathetic smile and nodded again. "But at least it's a decent name. Summer Barnes doesn't sound too bad."

"It sounds _wrong_ ," Summer frowned, staring sightlessly at her computer screen. "Everything about this is wrong."

"I know. And if there was anything I could do to change this, you know I would."

Summer turned her eyes to Lizzie and forced herself to smile. "I know."

"Go on," Lizzie then prompted her, gesturing to the laptop. "Let's see what we can find."

It turned out that they could find exactly nothing about Summer's new "fiancé". They did find what they assumed to be the right one when they cross referenced his name with the public employee listings of Pierce Consolidated, and while it showed that there was indeed a James Barnes working there as the Director of Mergers and Acquisitions, zero information was listed about him. Not an age, a level of education, nothing. He was, for all intents and purposes, a ghost story.

Summer sighed and shut the computer. "Guess I get to just be unpleasantly surprised."

"You never know," Lizzie mused, waving a hand vaguely. "He might be under 50. He might even be hot."

Summer eyed her skeptically. "A mob boss? Young and hot? Highly doubtful. And even if he was, he's probably still a psycho. Because _mob_."

"... He might still treat you well, though."

Summer squinted so hard she could hardly see. "Seriously? _Mob boss_!"

"But they're supposed to be protective, right? The whole _family_ thing? I don't know, honey. I'm grasping at straws here."

"I don't think there's a silver lining here, Mom," Summer shrugged, leaning her head back against the couch and suddenly feeling tired enough to sleep for a week. "I don't think there's a single bright side to any of this."

Lizzie sighed. "Probably not." Then she finally took a bite of the cookie that she still hadn't eaten yet, and as she chewed, her eyebrows shot up. " _Wow_ , this is amazing. I taught you well."

"Yeah you did," Summer grinned. "Hey, maybe I can just make cookies every day and stuff my mystery mob husband's face full of them until he gets so fat his arteries explode."

"That would take too long," Lizzie shook her head. "And it's far more likely that your cookies would just make him fall in love with you. Which, if he's young and hot and not a complete psycho, that might not be the worst thing ever."

"That's not gonna happen," Summer insisted. "He's gonna end up being older than Dad."

Lizzie made a face. "Well... if he is, let's pray that all the Viagra in the world won't let him get it up."

Summer groaned and dropped her face into her hands, laughing but also wanting to start crying again for the millionth time that day. Lizzie threw an arm around her and hugged her to her side, and when Summer finally dropped her hands from her face, she said, "I can't believe this is my life now."

"Well, whatever happens next, we'll get through it together, okay?" Lizzie said, meaning her words with everything she had. "I'm gonna be with you every step of the way."

Summer gave Lizzie a watery smile and nodded, taking a deep breath. "Okay."

"Okay," Lizzie said, planting a kiss on the top of her head. "We'll just take it one day at a time." Summer nodded, and then Lizzie paused and added, "And if he ends up being as bad as you think, then we'll just fake our deaths and fly to the Bahamas and spend the rest of our lives drinking margaritas on the beach."

That made Summer laugh. "I can live with that. But no margaritas. I hate margaritas."

"More for me, then," Lizzie smiled. "I mean it though. Your life's not over. I won't _let_ it be over."

Summer nodded again, letting those words comfort her even though she knew things were hardly that simple. She hoped that her life wasn't over and that she might get lucky enough to find a way out of this, as unlikely as that seemed. She couldn't see any possible positive outcome to all of this, every scenario her brain concocted being more horrifying than the last, but she refused to let herself give up hope. She was too young to give up, and she had too much life to live to let it slip through her fingers.

She'd find her way through this, one way or another. She was good at surviving. This, she told herself until she almost believed it, would be no different.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: GUYS. HOLY CRAP. Almost 40 reviews and 125 follows after one chapter? I am FLOORED. I love each and every one of you SO MUCH. WOW. I was hoping for a good response but I didn't anticipate this. You are all the BEST. I can't thank you all enough for each review and follow. It means SO MUCH to me, and I am incredibly excited to get this story going :D it's gonna be quite action packed and I've just got a LOT of story to tell, so I (and midnightwings96, this baby's other parent and the one who came up with the idea in the first place) am just unbearably excited.**

 **So without further ado, here's chapter 2! Since we're dealing with an all-human AU here, I thought it appropriate to give the Asgardians slightly more human names lol, so Loki = Lukas, and Frieda = Frigga. More will come into play in the future, but just to clear up any potential initial confusion, I figured I'd mention that :) thank you guys again and I hope you enjoy! :D**

The following morning, Summer decided that she would not sit around and mope following the very _not_ ideal turn that her life had taken. She decided to get up and call in sick at work - since, after all, the least that her father owed her for selling her to the mob was a fricking paid day off - and then opted to spend the rest of her day hunting down the true identity of the man that she was apparently marrying.

She found a private investigator online who sounded rather promising and secured an appointment with her at noon. She was in a cab headed to Hell's Kitchen to meet the woman behind Alias Investigations when her mom called her phone for the fourth time in ten minutes.

"Oh my gosh, you really are trying to kill me, aren't you?" Lizzie demanded the moment she picked up. "Why are you ignoring me?"

"I'm sorry, Mom, I'm just... I'm busy. I'm headed across town to meet a PI."

"A PI? Oh gosh, honey, you don't have to do that, trust me. That's why I was calling you so much, I have news."

Summer suddenly straightened up and demanded, "What news?"

"Well, since you took the day off here at the office, you weren't here to meet one of your heroes. She personally came by to give you an invitation to some big dinner at their giant mansion to officially introduce you to your new fiancé."

Summer blinked rapidly and sputtered, "Wait... who came by?!"

"Aemilia Montgomery," Lizzie replied. "In the flesh."

Summer's eyes widened and she dropped her phone into her lap in shock. After she managed to scramble and recover enough to put the phone back into her ear, she all but wheezed, "Oh my God - Pierce... Pierce Consolidated, they just... her and her husband just moved there, I completely forgot _holy crap oh my God_. She was there?! To see me?!"

This was such an enormous, huge deal, Summer could hardly stand it. Lukas and Aemilia Montgomery were the sickeningly attractive power couple on the cover of the book in her purse, and her personal role models in the world of business. She greatly admired them, and she had been too dumbstruck and in shock the day before to register that the Bratva-aligned corporation absorbing her father's company had fairly recently gained two new co-CEOs. Which also meant...

"Oh God," Summer groaned, covering her face with her hand. "My role models are in the mob too, aren't they?"

"Looks that way," Lizzie sighed. "But she was _so_ lovely. Seriously, I don't think I've ever met a sweeter girl aside from you. When I explained why you took the day off and weren't in the office, she was super sympathetic and gracious. And she actually blushed when I told her how big of a fan you are and how you were gonna pee your pants when I told you she came by."

Summer's eyes widened in horror. "Please tell me you didn't actually use those words."

"... I might have said 'crapped your pants', actually."

Summer groaned in humiliation. " _Mom_..."

"But _anyway_ ," Lizzie then changed the subject, "so she gave me an actual physical invitation. Like, it's engraved. It's better than most wedding invitations I've seen."

"When is this... dinner?" Summer asked hesitantly.

"Tomorrow," Lizzie replied casually.

Summer let out a rather long string of _frick's_ and then dropped her phone again, which led to another round of fake cursing before she finally picked the phone back up and wailed, "That's too soon! I can't... I'm not... ugh! I'm not mentally prepared for this!"

"I know, I know, but this is actually a good thing," Lizzie replied in her best _please calm down before you blow a blood vessel_ voice. "Call and cancel your PI appointment. We're meeting Mr. Mystery Mob Man tomorrow, so you know what that means."

Summer sighed and closed her eyes. "Mom, _no_."

"... We need to go shopping."

Summer winced. "Oh my God, Mom, please don't - _why_? I'm like... 100% sure that I don't wanna impress this guy."

"It's not about impressing him. It's about _making_ an impression," Lizzie replied. "You need to walk in there looking like you already own the place and make sure they know you're not someone who's gonna get pushed around or taken advantage of."

Summer's heart dropped a little at those words. "But... I was literally sold to them. I kind of have no leverage in any of this and would just be completely faking having any kind of self-confidence in this situation."

"Exactly," Lizzie replied, nonplussed. "We're going to dress you up and make you look your very best so you can at least feel good while you fake the hell out of it. Trust me, a dress that fits just right and a pair of killer heels go a long way in making you feel a lot more powerful than you actually are."

Summer doubted that, but she saw no other viable choice than to simply go along with it. She told the cab driver to turn around and silently resigned herself to a day of miserable shopping and hardcore angsting at the very thought of the next day's events. She'd let Lizzie hover and do what she did best, which was chatter and smile and make Summer look far more beautiful than she usual felt even on good days, and Summer would silently suffer and await her doom.

Her stomach was already twisted in sickening, painful knots. This was shaping up to be one hell of a fricking week.

* * *

 _The following afternoon_

"I'm not going."

Loki rolled his eyes and let out a burdened sigh, placing his hands on his hips. "Must we really do this, James?"

"We're not doing anything," Bucky muttered, throwing his hair up and tying it as he walked across the mat closer to his current sparring partner. "That's the point."

Crossing his arms, Loki raised an eyebrow and said, "My mother and my wife both were instrumental in planning this dinner and setting up this entire meeting. I refuse to face their wrath because you're too busy sulking in your room to come downstairs and behave like a human being."

"There's no point in meeting her," Bucky replied, already tiring of the subject. "We should just cut to the chase and put a bullet in her head now, save ourselves the trouble later."

Loki paused and then blinked, "Well, that's rather harsh."

"Think about it, Lukas," Bucky replied, eyes weary as they regarded his friend whom he rarely addressed by his codename, Loki. Having grown up together in that very manor, he'd always be simply Lukas to Bucky. "What do you think's gonna happen? It won't matter that it's all fake and I don't give a fuck about her. Being married to me's gonna put a bullseye on her head and one day someone's gonna hit it. The minute she's got my name, she's already dead."

"Yes, because we can't do a thing to protect her, can we?" Loki asked rhetorically. "We're all just helpless corporate shills in this oversized broom cupboard of a mansion. I don't even know how to properly shoot a gun, do I? And I certainly am not skilled with a blade, either. In fact, the only time I touch a knife is to spread $300 jam on my gold-dusted toast each morning."

Bucky stared at him, utterly unimpressed. "We shouldn't _have_ to protect her. I've got bigger things to worry about than keeping some spoiled little princess alive and out of the Triad's crosshairs."

"Bigger things? Like what?" Loki deadpanned. "Your lustrous personal life? Or perhaps your habit of micromanaging every last operation even when it's perfectly under control? Or maybe -"

"Can you just shut up and punch me?" Bucky sighed, more than ready to just get on with what they had come here to the training room to do. For Bucky, that meant throw punches until he felt at least a _little_ bit better and a little less angry.

"Not until you agree to show up to the dinner tonight of your own free will and without me having to physically drag you downstairs," Loki said, standing his ground and refusing to budge. "You're rather heavy and the staircase is quite lengthy."

Bucky stared at Loki for a moment and pressed his lips into a hard line. Loki stared at him right back, raising an expectant eyebrow and not even blinking until Bucky finally rolled his eyes and grumbled, "Fine."

Loki broke into a sudden cheerful smile. "Good! And wear a suit. You're meeting your future bride, after all. You don't want to make a bad impression."

Bucky stared at Loki like he wanted to stab him in that moment, but of course the glare had no effect on Loki. "I don't care what she thinks of me. I don't care about _her_. Or any of this."

"Yes, but have you considered the possibility that you might actually _like_ her? She could walk through the door and be rather attractive. She's in her upper 20s, smart, accomplished -"

"She's nothing," Bucky interrupted. "No matter what she fucking looks like, Lukas. And you know why."

Loki's expression softened. He let out a breath and nodded, "Yes, I do know why. But that doesn't mean I don't wish things were different."

"Well, they're not," Bucky shrugged. "And they never will be."

"I would like to hope that you're wrong," Loki replied. "You deserve to be happy for once in your life, James."

"No I don't," Bucky replied without hesitation. Then he dropped his eyes down to the floor and muttered, "I don't feel like sparring anymore."

Then he turned and walked away. Watching Bucky's retreating form, Loki sighed and said, "Be ready and at the main entrance at 7. Not a minute before."

"Fuck off," Bucky muttered.

"I love you, too," Loki chuckled, deeply fond of his lifelong friend despite how much of a damaged and numb disaster he was. He had been there to witness many of the things that had left him so broken and so unable to feel, but he held out hope that one day Bucky would find happiness just as Loki himself had. It would almost certainly not happen this marriage that was being forced upon both Bucky and the poor girl they would all be meeting tonight, but that didn't mean that Loki wouldn't make sure everything went as smoothly as possible.

He could only hope that Bucky wouldn't terrify the woman _too_ badly in the process.

* * *

"Mom," Summer muttered, staring at herself dejectedly in the mirror as Lizzie zipped up her dress behind her.

"Yes, pumpkin?" Lizzie smiled back.

"... I hate you."

"Bearing false witness is a sin, you know," Lizzie replied, moving on to fiddle with Summer's curled hair and fluff it a bit. "A pretty bad one too. One of the ten big no no's."

"I can't wear this," Summer said, gesturing to the deep wine-colored dress currently clinging to her body. It was a gorgeous dress, cut just above the knee and full of lacy details that she loved, and the top of the neckline was a thin, sheer mesh that allowed just enough of her cleavage underneath to be seen before giving way to the rest of the fabric. It was just enough to make her feel uncomfortable. "This is ridiculous."

"Well, once you put on your new matching lipstick, it'll really pull the whole look together," Lizzie shrugged. "Go ahead, put it on. Let me see."

Summer merely shook her head. "No. I'm not going."

Lizzie paused and widened her eyes. "What are you talking about? We _have_ to go."

"Nope. Uh uh. I'm just gonna stay home and watch Netflix, and then possibly go move to Siberia where nobody will ever find me."

"Well... honey, they're Russian, so... Siberia might not be the best hiding place. I'm just saying." Summer groaned and slouched her shoulders, and Lizzie immediately grabbed them and rolled them back. "None of that. Not in this dress. Gotta keep these babies contained."

Summer's _babies_ being only one of the reasons why she was so massively uncomfortable, Summer felt horrified when she felt tears start prickling the backs of her eyes. "I just... I hate wearing stuff like this, and I'm so scared of this guy and scared of meeting him because then it'll all be real, and now on top of it all, the two people I've been idolizing forever are also gonna be there and they're in the fricking Russian mafia too and suddenly _everything is the damn mob_ and I just -"

"Whoa, whoa, easy there, sweetie, breathe," Lizzie said, turning her panicking daughter around and giving her a comforting hug without mussing either of their hair. "It's gonna be okay. We're gonna face it all together, okay? I'm gonna be right there with you and we're gonna get through it, I promise."

Trying to stave off the impending panic attack, Summer attempted to steady her breathing and hold back her tears. "This is just... _so weird_. I don't know how I'm gonna do this."

"One step at a time," Lizzie said, pulling away and cupping Summer's face affectionately. "That's how we're gonna do this." Summer nodded, sniffing and regaining her composure as best as she could. Then Lizzie handed her the new tube of lipstick and said, "Here's the next step."

Summer let out a breathless chuckle and took the little thing, turning around and taking a deep breath before pulling the lid off and twisting it up from the bottom.

And somehow, by some miracle, after she applied the lipstick and finished off her look, she actually did feel a little better than she had before. She looked in the mirror and could almost see the kind of woman she wanted to be - beautiful, smart, confident. Strong enough to maybe find a way out of this weird, creepy situation that she was in.

But that was just an illusion. She put the lipstick down and nodded when Lizzie asked if she was ready, though she was mentally nowhere near ready. She never would be.

But time waited for no one, and after slipping on a pair of heels, Summer could stall no longer. It was time to stop dreading and angsting over her doom and go meet it. Literally.

* * *

"... Please tell me you're not wearing _that_."

Already unbearably grumpy, Bucky looked down at the clothes he'd thrown on and looked up at Loki challengingly. "Yeah?"

Loki groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. "They're going to be here in less than half an hour. I told you to put on a suit, not..." His eyes suddenly widened as he surveyed his friend. "Is that _blood_ on your shirt?"

"What does it fucking matter if -"

"No," Loki said, holding up a single finger and shaking his head, marching to Bucky's closet. "Absolutely not. You might have the manners of a caveman, but I am not going to let you meet this poor woman wearing _that_."

Bucky grumbled under his breath and began seriously considering just setting the manor on fire, in one of the less important and unoccupied wings. It would surely cause enough of a fuss to warrant cancellation, and he never much liked the southeast wing anyway. It could use some renovations.

But before he could carry out his impromptu arson plans, Loki literally threw a suit at him. "Put that on. And do something with your hair. You look like you've just barely escaped the 90s grunge scene with your life."

Bucky glowered at his lifelong friend. "I will kill you."

"I am shaking in my boots," Loki deadpanned. "Now get dressed, or I will strip you right here and dress you myself, as if you were an oversized and overly angry Ken doll."

Muttering a string of Russian curses under his breath, Bucky gave in and tossed the suit over the back of a nearby chair, angrily taking off his shirt and raising his eyebrows. "Happy?"

"No," Loki scoffed. "I'll be happy when you stop acting like an petulant child and no longer require my help in simple tasks like getting dressed."

"Fuck off," Bucky snapped. "You know damn well why I don't wanna do this."

"Yes, but you're _doing_ it," Loki replied. "And no amount of sulking or poor fashion choices will change that. You know this."

Bucky didn't have anything to say to that. He simply continued getting dressed in silence, wishing he'd thought of his idea to set fire to the manor earlier. At least then he could have delayed this... repulsive freakshow of a night.

Once he had pulled the suit jacket on, Loki gave his shoulder a clap and said, "Now the hair. Do you need my help with that as well? I can put in a few lovely braids for you, if you'd like."

Bucky rolled his eyes and smacked his hand away. "I hate you."

* * *

"I should have brought a bottle of Xanax with us," Lizzie said as she watched Summer fidget and nearly vomit with anxiety as their driver steered them into the opulent, sprawling manor that sat just outside of city limits, tucked away where few would find it if they weren't looking for it.

Summer was too busy staring wide-eyed at the place to hear her mother's words, her mouth hanging open as she stared at the place that would soon be her new home. She had been to her fair share of parties and galas thrown by rich society folks, thanks to her position at her father's company, but she had never even _seen_ a place like this before. This was on an entire other level of old money, and she suddenly felt like a mere peasant about to enter a land of royals.

The pit in her stomach deepened. Much more of this and she was pretty sure she would actually puke.

But she kept her lunch down and didn't pass out as the car came to a halt. She swallowed down the lump in her throat and looked at Lizzie, who was taking a deep breath herself, and after a wordless but significant look between the two, the driver opened the doors for them and they got to their feet.

Walking up a small number of stairs to the massive front doors, Summer muttered, "Dad should be here suffering with us."

"We're better off, trust me," Lizzie sighed.

Then, once they had reached the door, Lizzie glanced at Summer before reaching out and pressing the doorbell button. Summer stared sightlessly at the door, wondering if she was in the beginning stages of having an out of body experience, but then the door opened and she snapped back to reality.

"Welcome, ladies," an older man who Summer assumed was a butler drawled upon opening the doors. "Please come in."

Both women smiled and followed the butler's lead, letting him walk them to the drawing room where he said their hosts would be with them shortly. Along the way, Summer gaped at the sheer size and _richness_ of the place. Everything looked somehow brand new and vintage at the same time, everything sparkling and nothing out of order, but the real stunners were the portraits that lined the walls.

There were a lot of portraits, both of families and of individuals, and Summer's eye was automatically drawn to one in particular. It was of the two people she had been fangirling over for some time, Lukas and Aemilia, both of whom she was apparently going to meet soon. Their portrait together was one of the most prominently displayed, right next to one of a younger Lukas and, Summer assumed, his family. There was a severe looking old man with an eye patch, a stunningly beautiful woman who reeked of elegance, and then a young blonde man who was quite significantly larger than his brother Lukas. Summer wished that she had more time to admire the photos, but before she knew it the doors to the drawing room were open and she and Lizzie were being ushered into it.

After being assured that their hosts would be with them soon, Summer and Lizzie listened to the doors close and then looked at each other with essentially the exact same expression, both nervous and more than a little out of their depth.

Summer stood there in the middle of the room, too anxious to sit and too scared to walk around, stuck in a general state of bewilderment and nearly shrieking from being startled when the door opened again. This time, it wasn't the butler that she was faced with.

Instead, it was none other than her personal hero and one other woman, one who Summer recognized from the portrait of Lukas' family - his mother.

"Hello," Aemilia smiled as she approached them, her voice ringing out like a song and somehow kind of making Summer feel a little better as soon as the sound hit her ears. "Welcome to our home. Thank you both so much for coming on such short notice."

Summer was officially starstruck. Aemilia smiled at her and held out her hand to shake Summer's, telling her, "I am Aemilia, and this is Frieda, the lady of the house. We are very happy to meet you both."

Aemilia Montgomery was even more gorgeous in real life than in all of her pictures. She was a little shorter than Summer and pale-skinned with vibrant auburn curls that were pinned up and out of her face, showing off her bright, beautiful hazel eyes. She was wearing a classic sort of curve-hugging dress, simple but elegant and a dark green color that contrasted perfectly with her hair. Tall black and gold heels completed the look, along with simple touches of gold jewelry and of course impeccable makeup, including a berry color on her lips that made them one of the standout features on her face.

"... I have your book," Summer blurted out, a little bit - or a lot - hypnotized by the woman in front of her. "I - you... you're kind of... uh... oh my gosh, you're perfect."

Aemilia's smile widened and she blushed a little as Summer cringed and died inside. "Oh my. Well, thank you very much."

"I told you she'd die when she met you," Lizzie told Aemilia, which made Summer kind of want to strangle her, but she controlled herself.

"No, it's just, I've been studying business since I was like... 14," Summer added, "and then a couple years ago when I started seeing stuff about you and your husband, I was just instantly fascinated, and the way that you carry yourself in a field dominated by men is just incredible and so inspiring and -"

"Thank you," Aemilia giggled adorably, finding the babbling and anxiety-ridden woman before her quite charming. "That means quite a lot to me, actually."

"You both look very lovely," Frieda said next, exuding more warmth than Summer ever would have expected from an obscenely wealthy woman who was literally dripping in diamonds as she was. Even her pale blue gown was embellished with diamonds, as were the pins in her long, golden hair. Then she turned to Summer and said gently, "Allow me to apologize for the events that led you here."

Summer wasn't sure what to say to that. "Oh. I..."

"Unfortunately," Aemilia said, "the men who created this particular arrangement have a rather medieval view of the world and women's place in it. I'm sorry that you've been forced into this situation."

Well, _that_ wasn't what Summer had been expecting. "Oh. Thank you. It's been, um... a horrifying couple of days, honestly."

Aemilia frowned sympathetically. "I can't imagine. You are very brave to come here as you have. And you should know that the Captain didn't have a say in this, either."

Summer blinked. "You mean... um..."

"The man you are now engaged to," Aemilia nodded. "He did not choose this."

"Oh," Summer muttered, finding herself surprised again. "Okay. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"It just means that he is having a difficult time accepting the engagement," Aemilia replied. "So just... try to keep that in mind."

"And do not expect a very warm welcome," Frieda added.

 _Oh_. "Okay."

Well, this was just great.

Emboldened by the warmth and kindness of these ladies, Lizzie asked, "What kind of man is he? We've been kind of going crazy the last few days trying to find some kind of information about him, but we've got nothing."

"You wouldn't find anything about him," Frieda nodded. "He's a bit of a ghost, at least in the eyes of the world."

"He is a... complicated man," Aemilia said. "He runs the American division of the Bratva. Lukas and I handle the public side of the company while he deals with the rest."

"Right," Summer sighed, feeling a bit overwhelmed. "Because mob."

"It's not what you would imagine," Frieda replied with a small smile. "Movies and television paint a picture that isn't especially accurate."

"Oh, so..." Lizzie cleared her throat. "You don't... you know... kill people so much?"

" _We_ typically don't, no," Frieda replied, gesturing to herself and Aemilia. But all that meant was that _they_ usually didn't kill anyone.

Summer gulped, plastering on a smile. "Awesome."

Aemilia was about to open her mouth, probably to try to reassure Summer again, but then the butler-guy opened the doors to the drawing room and Summer's stomach dropped, expecting her mystery fiancé to walk through the door. Instead, however, someone else Summer instantly recognized did.

"Ah, I see that I'm late to the welcoming party," Lukas said, flashing a smile at the two new ladies in the room as he sashayed inside. He was dressed in a classic black suit with a green and gold scarf thrown around his shoulders, his slightly long black hair combed back and out of of his face as always, and Summer could feel herself melt into a pile of jelly as he approached her and reached for her hand. "You must be Summer. It's a pleasure to meet you."

She opened her mouth to answer and promptly choked on her words when he kissed her hand instead of shaking it like she had expected. His green eyes were sharp and beautiful and he was _tall_ and, like his wife, about a thousand times better in person.

Then he turned to Lizzie and took her hand next. "And you must be... her sister?"

Lizzie giggled and blushed like a schoolgirl. "Oh, I like you already. We're gonna be good friends."

"Lukas, darling," Frieda said, gently interrupting her son making both of their new acquaintances fall in love with him, "where is James?"

"He should be only a few minutes behind me," Lukas sighed, looking at Summer apologetically. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting. He isn't usually this... well, actually, he sort of _is_ this rude usually."

Summer laughed humorlessly. "He sounds _awesome_ so far."

"So... he works at Pierce, right?" Lizzie asked, staying clear headed enough to try to gather some info on this guy.

"Yes," Loki replied. "He is Director of Mergers and Acquisitions."

Summer choked on absolutely nothing and covered it up with a cough. She was marrying _actual_ Patrick Bateman. "Murders and executions" had never sounded so fitting until that moment.

"And..." Lizzie said, "how old is he?"

"He is -"

The door opening silenced Lukas, and this time when Summer looked up, her stomach dropped for an entirely different reason.

"... Finally here," Lukas finished with a wry smile.

The man who walked through the open doorway and immediately locked eyes with Summer was the complete and utter opposite of what she had expected. And judging by the look on his face, the feeling was very possibly mutual.

Summer suddenly couldn't breathe.

He was young, somewhere in his 30s, and he was _frighteningly_ handsome. Tall and rather visibly enormous under the dark gray suit he wore, he had long dark brown hair that was tucked behind his ears and out of his face, and if Summer's eyes weren't playing tricks on her, his hair was graying at the sides near his temples. But his youth was evident in his face and his striking blue eyes, and the curve of probably the most perfect mouth she had ever seen on a man, even with it being twisted into a tight scowl. He had a jawline that could cut someone, and it was covered in a thin layer of scruff that only made him even more disgustingly attractive.

They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. He gave away nothing in his dead-eyed expression, but Summer was an open book of shock and awe and the human embodiment of Squidward Tentacles exclaiming with dismay, " _Oh no, he's hot!_ "

Except _hot_ was an understatement. He had the kind of face that she'd only seen on TV before and thought didn't exist in real life.

He was beautiful. And a mob boss. And her fiancé.

And he was staring at her like he already absolutely despised her without even so much as speaking one word to her.

Lukas, looking back and forth between the new "couple" for a moment, decided to do the talking once it was clear that neither one of them were going to say a word. "Summer, this is James Barnes. He usually prefers to go by Bucky. And James, this is Summer McAdams."

He stared at her in a way that made her feel excruciatingly exposed. She managed to get one word out, just a shaky and barely audible _hi_ , and he ignored it entirely.

She wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole.

He shoved his hands into his pockets, just in case anyone got any ideas about shaking hands or touching in general. An awkward silence fell over the room, one that Lizzie was the first to break.

"I'm Elizabeth," she said, more than a little shocked herself that her daughter's fiancé looked like a Greek god, but she had a few more important things to worry about. His eyes darted to her, and she added, "I'm her mother."

James - or Bucky, though Summer had no clue why _that_ of all things would be his nickname - apparently held enough respect for mothers that he acknowledged Lizzie, though it was still barely a nod. Lukas shared an exasperated and weary look with Aemilia, doing his very best to not just slap his friend into acting like an actual person.

"Well," Frieda smiled, saving the day, "why don't we all move into the dining room? Supper is ready and I would hate for it to get cold while we... chat."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, mother," Lukas smiled, turning back towards their guests. "Follow us, please."

Bucky was the first to turn on his heel and stomp out of the room. Frieda gave Summer a sympathetic look before turning to follow him, and Aemilia did the same. Summer and Lizzie fell into step behind them, and it was only then that Summer realized how shaky her arms and legs and pretty much _everything_ was.

"Well," Lizzie whispered into her ear, "he's definitely not an old crusty man, that's for sure."

"He's terrifying," Summer whispered back. "What the hell am I gonna do?!"

"... I can think of several things you could do with that man."

Summer gave Lizzie a wide-eyed expression of horror. " _Mom_!"

" _What_? I'm just saying!"

Clenching her jaw and shaking her head, Summer opted to ignore Lizzie and try to keep from fainting once she stepped into the dining room, which was bigger than her entire apartment. And her apartment wasn't exactly cheap, either.

The table was long and could seat approximately a bajillion people, and it was set with some of the finest china that one could even fathom. Above the table hung an elaborate, _huge_ crystal chandelier that was suspended low from the high ceiling, and Summer was so dazzled by it all that she almost missed Aemilia gently steering her and Lizzie to sit next to herself and Lukas.

Bucky sat across from them, eager to remain at a distance, apparently. Frieda sat at the head of the table, and Lukas looked at Bucky - or James, Summer still had no idea what to actually call him - and rolled his eyes at the disproportionate seating arrangement. Bucky glared back in a way that dared him to do something about it.

Two servants - they had actual _servants,_ Summer noted - came by and brought the first course of the dinner, which was the first of five. Summer made it a point to stare at the food and the wine being poured and even her fork - which, _well_ , it was a fork with real pearls on the handle, so one could hardly blame her - instead of staring at the man sitting across from her.

But it was a losing battle. Eventually she glanced up at him, and to her shock, she caught him looking at her. Or more specifically, looking at the peek of her cleavage under the mesh neckline of her dress. Then he quickly looked away and stared at his own plate so hard that it was a wonder the thing didn't burst into flames.

 _Fantastic_.

"So," Frieda smiled, getting the conversation started, "Summer. I hear that you have been working as an apprentice for your father."

"Yeah," she squeaked out, clearing her throat so her voice would sound less mouse-like. "Yeah, for a few years now."

"Do you enjoy the business world?" Frieda asked.

"Very much," Summer nodded. "When I was a teenager I said I wanted to be a CEO by the time I was 30. I don't think I'm gonna quite hit that goal, but..."

Bucky rolled his eyes. Lukas noticed and may or may not have kicked him under the table and fixed him with a withering glare.

"Well, anything can happen," Frieda smiled. "I was sad to hear about your father's fall from grace."

"So were we," Lizzie replied with a rueful smile.

"Well," Aemilia said, "in the last few days I've looked over your resume, Summer, and I think it's promising."

Summer paused. She never sent anyone her resume. How did she get it?!

Never mind. She didn't want to know.

"We have a few openings at the office, and I think you might be a good fit for one or two of them. I would hate to see your career suffer a setback through no fault of your own."

Summer was in shock all over again. "Oh. Thank you. I wasn't expecting that."

Lukas grinned. "We're not as villainous as we might seem to be." He glanced at Bucky and amended, "Well, most of us, anyway."

Bucky merely took a long drink of the Merlot in front of him. Summer grabbed her glass and did the same, wondering how many glasses it would take before she was wasted and not so cripplingly nervous anymore.

"Our business is all about family," Frieda said, nodding to Summer. "And soon you will be part of our family, too."

Bucky stabbed his form at his food so loudly it made Summer flinch.

"Are you an only child?" Frieda asked curiously.

"No," Summer shook her head. "Well, _now_ I am. I had an older brother. He died when I was three, in a car accident."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Frieda said with genuine sympathy, that innate warmth emanating from her very being. "That is terrible."

Summer nodded. "My mom died in the same accident."

Aemilia furrowed her brows, looking from Lizzie to Summer. "I thought..."

"I'm actually her stepmother," Lizzie explained.

"Oh," Aemilia said in surprise. "You two seem so close and so... similar."

"Well, I don't remember my mom at all," Summer shrugged. "She's the only one I've ever known."

Lizzie nodded, giving Summer an affectionate smile. "I was a good friend of her mother's a long time ago, before she died. We went to the same synagogue and met there. After the accident, she hung on for about a week before all of her systems started to shut down. She asked me to take care of her little girl when she was gone, so... I did."

"And she married my dad when I was six," Summer added with a nod.

"Wow," Frieda said, "that's quite a story. It's good to see that you two are so close. Many biological parents aren't half as close to their children."

Lizzie nodded in agreement. "She's the best thing that ever happened to me. Her dad, not so much," she shrugged while making a face, which made Lukas suppress a smile. "But, what are you gonna do."

Frieda nodded, then gestured to Lukas. "We adopted Lukas when he was only a baby, my late husband and I. He is as much a son to me as his brother. I can't imagine my life without him."

Lukas smiled at his mother and gave her a small nod. "It would be considerably duller, without a doubt. And you wouldn't have this lovely woman as your daughter in law," he said, putting a hand on Aemilia's leg and grinning at her.

They were honestly one of the sweetest little families that Summer had ever seen. They all clearly loved each other very, very much, and yet when she glanced over to where her fiancé sat, he was still sitting there with his eyes fixed firmly on the table, completely silent and sullen and seemingly _very_ angry.

All five courses of the dinner went by just like that - James/Bucky/Patrick Bateman sitting there looking like he was contemplating whether or not to jab a steak knife into his carotid artery while everyone else at the table had a genuinely good time. Summer decided that she loved Frieda, and Aemilia and Lukas were everything she had ever imagined they would be and more, and Lizzie and herself got along with them swimmingly. She didn't feel like she was sitting at a table with a bunch of folks who "whacked" people on the weekends for fun. They were simply normal, real people, albeit filthy rich and almost inhumanly beautiful.

She was so beyond confused, and she could feel the first stirrings of a headache nudging at her brain. Or maybe that was just a stress-induced brain tumor saying hello. It could go either way.

After barely making it through dessert without splitting her dress down the middle from how stuffed she was, Summer and Lizzie happily agreed to a small tour of the manor. With Frieda leading the way and Bucky hanging all the way in the back with his arms crossed and expression even grumpier than before, Summer found herself in a constant state of awe at every section of the building that she was shown. It was all so gorgeous and well-kept, full of personality and fascinating, and when Lukas took to explaining a few eclectic pieces of art that dotted the halls, Summer decided that she could listen to him read from the Yellow Pages and never grow bored.

But the single best highlight of the whole tour was when Frieda led them out on a third-floor terrace and showed off the expanse of her exquisite gardens. Even at night, the grounds below sparsely lit with lanterns and other softly glowing lights, it was one of the most impressive things Summer had ever seen. Apparently Frieda's roses were award-winning - who knew there were awards for roses? - and she tended to them herself, because when she left them to her gardeners, they never quite bloomed right. She had a certain magic touch that others simply didn't.

Looking out over the grounds and admiring the beauty, Summer sighed and Lizzie leaned over and whispered, "Well, this could all be a hell of a lot worse."

"Yeah," Summer mused, unable to deny it. She supposed there were certainly worse fates than the one that she had been given. Other women around the globe who were forced into unsavory arranged marriages were rarely also given this degree of luxury and comfort. It was a cage, yes, but at least it was a damn nice one.

As she drifted off in thought, behind her a slight argument was taking place. Aemilia was holding a small ringbox and trying to shove it into Bucky's hand, and he was hissing intelligible words at her and refusing to take it. Lukas was rolling his eyes and growing increasingly tired of the whole mess, and finally Aemilia gave up with a huff and turned around, approaching Summer once more.

"Summer, dear, I have something for you," Aemilia said softly. Summer turned around and immediately froze in slight horror when she saw the small ringbox in the other woman's hand.

Sighing and looking quite sympathetic, Aemilia began, "I shouldn't be the one to give you this, but... seeing as the situation is far from ideal as it is," she shrugged and handed the thing over. Summer took it cautiously, as if it might explode upon impact. She then looked up and caught Bucky's eye for a fraction of a second before he quickly looked away.

She sighed and bit the bullet, opening the little box and feeling her eyes widen to comical levels. Inside was a princess cut diamond engagement ring on a platinum band, flawless and enormous and every bit as grand as the entire manor itself.

"... Hot diggity," Lizzie said, peering over Summer's shoulder and gasping at the sight of the massive thing.

"That ring is from my own collection," Frieda smiled. "It's never been worn before. We would have ordered you something unique, but with the time constraints... this seemed like a good solution. Go on, try it on."

Summer gulped and, with shaky hands, did as Frieda said. She slid the ring on her left hand finger, and to her surprise, it actually fit quite well. And it was _heavy_. But that seemed only appropriate, seeing how burdensome and difficult the entire situation was to begin with.

"Wow, I... thank you," Summer told Frieda and Aemilia both. "It's... I've never seen anything like this in person. You didn't have to do this. I didn't even really... need a ring."

"Nonsense," Frieda scoffed. "It's yours now. And it certainly looks better on your finger than in my jewelry box, wasting away."

"Okay," Summer relented, smiling and letting her eyes divert from the two ladies just long enough to catch a glimpse of Lukas and Bucky arguing quietly amongst themselves a short distance away.

The knot in her stomach returned. As welcoming as the others were, her soon to be husband clearly wanted nothing to do with her and hated the very air that she breathed. If he wasn't so very terrifying and mildly - or maybe not so mildly - psychotic looking, that might not be such a bad thing, but...

With her new engagement ring sparkling on her previously empty finger, Summer was soon led back the way that they had come, the tour now over. She wasn't sure what came over her, maybe a burst of bravery or just a lapse in sanity, but Summer decided to slow her footsteps and walk alongside Bucky and attempt to at least share a few sentences with him before she headed home.

The minute she fell into step with him at his side, he looked up at her like she had six heads before fixing his gaze back on the floor and aggressively ignoring her. She sighed and forced out the first question that came to her mind.

"So, um... should I... should I call you James or Bucky? Because I'm not really sure which one I should use..."

He simply kept his eyes forward, mumbling a single word in response. "No."

... No?

Summer blinked. All right, so she apparently wasn't allowed to call him _anything_.

"Um... okay, so... what should I call you, then?" she asked, trying one more time. He ignored her this time, his jaw clenched - _ugh, that jaw_ \- and steely blue eyes refusing to wander her way one more time.

 _God_ , he was beautiful. But he was also ridiculously scary and seemingly devoid of a drop of personality.

When they reached the staircase, he bypassed it to retreat to his room, apparently calling it a night without so much as a word to anyone. They all watched him go, Summer shrinking a little as the sound of his stomps slowly faded in the distance.

Lukas sighed and shook his head before turning to Summer. "I apologize for his behavior. Don't take it to heart. It's the lack of free will in this situation that he hates, not you."

Summer nodded, though it was rather hard not to take it personal. But it was fine, she supposed. She was marrying into the mob and giving up her freedom, and the man to whom she was hitching her wagon to hated her guts. It was great, really. Every girl's dream come true. Like a Disney princess story, but without all the love and happy endings.

By the time that Summer and Lizzie were ready to leave, Summer was exhausted and ready to go home and crawl under her covers and maybe cry a little - or a lot - before passing out for the night. But she was in for one more surprise.

At the front doors, there was a man seemingly waiting there for her. He was wearing much more casual clothes than the others, and he was tall and dark-skinned and quite friendly looking. He grinned at Summer upon approach, and that was when Aemilia said, "Summer, meet your new bodyguard, Sam Wilson."

"My new - _what_?" she breathed, not sure if she was able to take yet another surprise out of left field.

But Sam was nonplussed, reaching out and shaking her hand. "How you doing?"

"I'm... kind of... confused," she replied, shaking his hand back and then turning to Aemilia. "Why do I need a bodyguard?"

"Because," Lukas replied from Aemilia's side, "from this point on, you're going to require near constant protection."

"You're marrying a man who has many, _many_ enemies," Aemilia added gently. "They won't know that your relationship is for show. That makes you a potential target."

"Well that's... great," Summer muttered, having not even thought about _that_ yet.

"That's what I'm here for," Sam said, taking a step forward. "I'll keep you safe, don't worry."

"He is ex-Army," Lukas said, "and has been working with us for quite a few years now. He's one of our best. You're in good hands."

Lizzie paused and then raised her hand before asking, "Do I get a hot bodyguard too? Because... I wouldn't say no if you guys offered."

Frieda chuckled. "Your home with Mr. McAdams is under our surveillance already. Considering how much sensitive information passes back and forth between the families, we can never be too safe."

"Right," Lizzie sighed. "So that's a no, then. Bummer."

A few more chuckles later, Summer forced a smile on her face and said, "Thank you all for having us over. You've been... incredibly kind, which... was a big relief, because I honestly had no idea what to expect."

"We understand," Aemilia smiled. "And we very much appreciate you being so... cooperative and gracious. This isn't an ideal situation for any of us, but... hopefully we can eventually come to some kind of arrangement that benefits everybody."

Summer thought that was a pipe dream if she ever heard one, but she nodded anyway and forced another smile. "Yeah. Me too."

And so, with most of her dignity still intact and a brand new rock on her finger plus an ex-military bodyguard at her side, Summer left the manor with her mother and climbed back into their car to head home. Sam followed in his own car, and Summer was more than a little dazed at how the night had gone.

She had loved everyone. Sam seemed pretty nice, too. They were all remarkably kind and seemingly normal. But then there was _him_. And she had no idea what to make of him.

"Well," Lizzie said as the manor slowly disappeared behind them in the rearview mirror. "That was... something."

"Yeah," Summer echoed quietly, staring out her window and feeling an increasingly familiar sense of hollowness wash over her. "Something."

When she closed her eyes, she saw angry, dead blue ones looking back at her. They sent a prickle of fear down her spine and reminded her of just how bad this entire situation truly was.

To say that she was in over her head was a massive understatement. All she could do was cling to an irrational hope that maybe, somehow, she'd find some way out of this before her still-unknown wedding date arrived. She knew it wouldn't happen, but a girl could still hope.

* * *

Once the guests had left the manor, Loki turned on his heel and marched up the stairs, making a beeline for Bucky's room.

He didn't bother knocking at the door - he rarely ever did - instead simply walking inside and, upon finding the main suite empty, moving to the bathroom.

What he found appalled him.

"And they call _me_ a drama queen," he groaned, leaning against the doorway and dragging a hand over his face. Bucky was sprawled out in his giant bathtub, which he'd recently added an inordinate amount of jets to in order to help with some chronic pain issues, and there was a bottle of whiskey in his hand as his arm dangled over the edge.

Bucky merely took a drink straight from the bottle and muttered, "Can you leave me alone for five fucking minutes?"

"And let you drink yourself into a stupor so you can pass out and drown? Did Whitney Houston teach us nothing?"

Bucky rolled his eyes and took another drink. "Whatever."

Loki walked further into the room and perched on the edge of the bath so that Bucky would have a harder time pretending to ignore him. "Your behavior tonight was appalling."

Bucky raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "You're not my fucking mother, Lukas."

"No, but _my_ mother has been a mother to you for years and she is quite disappointed," Loki replied.

Bucky's expression barely flickered before he shrugged and brought the bottle back to his lips. "Won't be the last time."

"So that's it, then?" Loki asked flatly. "You simply don't care?"

"Not about this fucking marriage," Bucky muttered. "You saw that girl. She was terrified the whole time."

"Yes, primarily because of _you_ ," Loki pointed out. "You were worse than the prince from _Beauty and the Beast_. Are you going to lock her in her room and not allow her to eat when she comes to live here?"

"I'm gonna pretend she doesn't exist," Bucky replied. "Just like I did tonight."

"Your maturity is an inspiration to us all," Loki deadpanned. "And might I ask _what_ is so dreadful about her? You saw her. She's quite fair. She's smart. She handled herself rather well considering she's an innocent girl walking into a house full of Russian mobsters. She even tried to speak to you several times, only to be ignored."

Bucky groaned and sat up in the tub, setting the whiskey down on the floor next to it and muttering, "I'm done talking about her."

He then stood up and stepped out of the tub, dripping heavily all over the floor as he walked to the cabinet that contained enough clean towels to last him a month. Loki stood up and carefully avoided stepping in the small puddles and said as Bucky dried off, "And yet I have no doubt that if I asked, you could vividly describe every last detail of the high heels she was wearing."

Bucky glared at Loki as he quickly raked the towel over his hair. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I know you. And she's hardly some sort of obnoxious troll. And as long as you and her are stuck in this mess together, there's no point in treating her like a non-entity. At least be polite. Don't _try_ to make her life a living hell."

Quickly running the towel over his legs, Bucky muttered, "No point." Then he dropped the towel on the floor for a maid to get later and trudged off to bed, still gloriously naked. Loki had the decency to kick the towel over to the nearby laundry basket before following him.

"You do realize you're being a complete and utter tool, yes?" Loki said, crossing his arms as Bucky peeled down the comforter from one corner of his bed and slid in.

"You do realize I don't give a shit, yes?" Bucky shot back, and Loki rolled his eyes and dropped his arms.

"Fine. Have it your way, by all means. Who cares if you regret it down the road? It's only your life, never mind that you only get one."

Bucky merely glowered at Loki and shook his head, "I don't know what you want from me."

"Well, occasionally, I would like to see more of you and less of the Winter Soldier," Loki replied truthfully. "But as of late, it's hard to see the difference anymore. Perhaps I'd like for you to think about that, and about the family you do have, before you lose sight of the person I grew up with entirely."

And with that, Loki turned and walked out of Bucky's room. He knew that those words would hit home, and they did. Bucky watched him leave and then stared into space for a long few moments afterwards, trying to remember the last time he felt anything other than anger or the sick sense of satisfaction he got when he left a pile of broken bodies in his wake everywhere he went.

Maybe every life he took was just another swing of the axe at his own soul, chipping away piece after piece until there was nothing left. Maybe this was who he was now, an unfeeling, numb, angry, rude and thoughtless bastard who didn't deserve the loyal and devoted friends that he had. Maybe this was why he already had gray hair when he hadn't even broken 35 yet.

Across from his bed, sitting on his dresser were a number of framed photos, one of which was of him and the most familiar face in his whole world. Two kids starred in the photo, one tiny and skinny and blonde and the other dark haired and a little too tall and holding the other kid close with his arm thrown around his bony shoulders. Best friends since they were old enough to know the alphabet, _with you to the end of the line_ , Steve had always said, and while that was still true today, there were times that Bucky could hardly stand to look at his face and be in his presence, knowing how much _better_ Steve was than him in every possible way.

But he couldn't erase the past or his choices. He wasn't sure that he would even if he could. Life was a miserable journey of one disaster after another, and he had finally gotten to the point where he controlled those disasters rather than allowing them to control him.

Until this... _woman_ happened. This unwanted sham of an arranged marriage, a pathetic mockery of everything he'd once wanted, back when he still knew how to feel and how to love.

He wanted the control back. This woman - Summer - represented his lack of free will and the fact that even after all of this time and all that he had accomplished, he was still in many ways just a puppet on other men's strings.

And for that, he hated her. And he was determined to continue hating her, Loki be damned.

He didn't sleep much that night, but he didn't sleep particularly well _any_ night. He simply laid there and stared at the ceiling, mentally reaffirming all the reasons why he hated Summer on principle, why Lukas was wrong, and why his every action that night, and every other night, was wholly justified.

It was a long, long night.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Heyyyyyyy everyone! MY GAWSH you guys continue to blow me away like, there are no words. 73 reviews in only two chapters and now over 150 follows *clutches chest* FRICK. I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH. And this week I have for you a nice long chapter and - drumroll please - the wedding itself :) the cast of characters greatly expands in this chapter and it's only gonna get bigger as time goes on, and I am just ridiculously excited to REALLY get this story going. GAH.**

 **My undying thanks to midnightwings96 for helping me when I had issues getting through this chapter with my sanity intact, and for being amazing in general as always. She and I are both still dying that this story is finally up and running after an entire year's worth of planning, and again I am SO thankful to you guys for your response to it. It's so much more than I expected, and I hope you guys keep liking it! Leave me a review and let me know, and I'll see you guys next week! :D**

"Honey," Lizzie said as gently as she could while she was huffing and puffing for breath, "you know that I support you 100%, right?"

"Definitely," Summer nodded, also huffing and puffing as she cranked up the speed on the treadmill she was currently sprinting on.

"Good. Having said that, why the hell are we running on these things when we could be sitting somewhere having a pitcher of mojitos and _not_ sweating our asses off?"

Summer glanced at her suffering mother and pointed out, "You spend four days a week in the gym, Mom."

"Yeah," she gestured somewhat wildly, "with my _trainer_ , who is 32 years old and Brazilian and calls me 'sweetheart' when he helps me stretch. And he doesn't make me run on these torture devices."

Summer made a face. "Does Dad know about your trainer?"

Lizzie rolled her eyes. "I don't ask about why his secretaries keep getting consecutively younger and prettier, so if he has any concerns, I'll let him know where he can shove it."

Summer sighed and accepted that answer. Lizzie and Michael had never had the greatest relationship, as far as Summer could remember. They were more like business partners than committed spouses, and even though divorce had been tossed around quite seriously ten years prior when Michael almost lost their house thanks to his gambling habits, it had never happened.

"My side hurts," Lizzie whined. "Can't we stop now?"

"I'm trying to work out my anger and aggression here, Mom," Summer replied, turning up the incline and instantly regretting it. "It's either this or I take a hammer and smash everything in my house, so I figure this is the healthier option."

"You know an even healthier option?" Lizzie asked. " _Mojitos_." She then glanced behind them, towards the incredibly fit bodyguard bench pressing a zillion pounds across the room, and Lizzie sighed, "Not that I'm complaining, but does he have to follow you everywhere?"

Summer barely heard her, too focused on the burning in her legs and thighs to care about much else. She ran for as long as she could like that before reaching the end of her rope and hitting the off button, breathing hard and feeling an ungodly ache pulsing through her limbs as she stumbled off the treadmill and towards the nearest bench, where her water bottle and other gear was. She collapsed on the bench along with Lizzie, not used to workouts of that magnitude and not really getting the benefit of stress relief that she'd been hoping for. If anything, all she managed to do was add muscle pain to her list of general life complaints.

"Okay," Lizzie said, taking a deep breath. "Shower, and then mojitos?"

"What is it with you and mojitos today?" Summer asked, pulling her phone out of her bag and furrowing her brows when she saw a text from a number she'd never seen before. She opened the text and quickly read over it, her brows inching higher up her forehead with each line.

 _Hi Summer, this is Aemilia. I wanted to ask you if you were free today for lunch, as I wanted to sit and catch up with you a bit and talk to you about a position here at Pierce that I think you might be well-suited to. We also need to discuss a few details regarding the wedding, including your dress. July 1st is less than two months away, and while I understand your reluctance, we really must find you a dress ASAP_.

Summer had never even given Aemilia her number, but the woman seemed to have a way of simply acquiring whatever information she needed by mysterious means. Familiar flutters of anxiety rippled through her belly at the thought of sitting down with Aemilia and having lunch, still quite starstruck by her and afraid to make herself look stupid in front of her, and then there was also the job thing and the _dress_ thing to wrangle with.

The date for the wedding had been set the week prior without her consent. July 1st, only a week after her father's company would be closing its doors permanently. She hadn't seen or heard from James or Bucky or _whoever_ he was since their first rather awkward meeting at the manor. He'd popped up in her dreams a lot though, sometimes wielding a chainsaw or an enormous knife, always dressed in fine suits and looking like walking sex but usually killing her emotionlessly at the end of the dream. It wasn't exactly comforting.

And she _really_ didn't want to even think about finding a dress to stuff herself into on the fateful day where she would marry him and seal her doom. She briefly contemplated lying and saying she was sick or that her cat had died, but since she wasn't sick and didn't have a cat, it just wouldn't be right. She couldn't do that to Aemilia, and besides, she _needed_ to hear about that job she had in mind for her.

"Looks like we're having mojitos with Aemilia," Summer said, quickly texting Aemilia back.

Lizzie's eyes lit up. "Ooh! Okay." She paused. "... Will Lukas be with her?"

Summer slowly turned and eyed her mother wearily. "Mom..."

"Oh, don't give me that look," Lizzie snapped. "That man is a work of art. I'm married, not dead."

Summer chuckled until her brain decided to inflict an intrusive thought upon her. _Maybe soon I'll be both_.

She blinked and felt her heart sink at her own unwanted, disturbingly morbid thought. But she shook it off as quickly as she could, especially trying not to think about her fiancé's cold and dead eyes and how they'd stared right through her as if she were translucent and dangerously vulnerable. Those eyes had haunted her dreams and left her feeling icy and nervous on an almost constant basis. She had never been more afraid of someone than she was of him, and he hadn't even spoken more than one word to her.

But now wasn't the time to think about that. She pulled herself together and focused on getting ready for lunch with her idol-turned-friend, whom she had to admit was probably the only good thing to come out of all of this.

"Hey, Muscles," Lizzie called out to Sam as she and Summer prepared to go clean up. "Like mojitos?"

"I love mojitos," Sam replied. "Who doesn't love mojitos?"

* * *

Halfway into lunch at a lovely little cafe in Manhattan, Lizzie had finally gotten her pitcher of mojitos and Summer was too anxious and nauseous to touch the salad she ordered, but the good news was that Aemilia was every bit as lovely as she had been during their very first meeting. Sam sat inconspicuously at a nearby table, quietly doing his job and keeping a lookout as the girls chatted.

"So," Aemilia said, dressed in her trademark combination of a stylish and gorgeous but professional dress and heels that elongated her frame, her long auburn curls up in a casually elegant twist, "there were two positions I've been considering you for, but after talking with Lukas and a few others, I've decided to offer you the position of Director of Corporate Events."

Summer's eyes widened. Whatever she had been expecting, it wasn't that and it wasn't anything with the word _director_ attached. "Oh! Wow, okay. Event planning?"

"Yes," Aemilia smiled. "I know that it might not sound like the most attractive job at first, but it would allow you to work directly with Lukas and myself and have a very important position within the company, rather than having to work your way up from someone's assistant or something like that. Also, you can shadow me and I can help you get settled in and comfortable within the company. I know it's going to be a significant transition for you."

"Yeah, no, that's absolutely perfect," Summer assured her, hardly able to believe it. "Thank you so much. And getting to shadow the two of you and learn from you - that's - I mean, I'm not even kidding or exaggerating, that's my dream come true."

Aemilia smiled happily at that. "That makes me very happy to hear, truly. I'm excited. I think this is going to work out beautifully and really give you a chance to grow and adapt to a new environment. And I've spoken to a few people in your father's office, and they all said that you've worked incredibly hard during your apprenticeship and have a real drive to succeed. That's the most important thing, in my experience - if you have that, everything else will follow in time."

Summer's eyes had formed the shape of hearts, and she was in such a blissful state of shock that Lizzie was the only one with a clear enough head to take a step back and ask a question or two.

"Now, when you say Director of Corporate Events, that's a _real_ thing, right? She's not gonna get parked behind a desk and never see the light of day again?" Lizzie asked. "Because she's worked hard to get to where she is, and I'd hate to see that happen."

"Absolutely not," Aemilia assured her, not offended by the question in the least. "Our current director is transferring in two months' time, and it's a very important position. We host events with charities and organizations and other companies on a nearly weekly basis, and those events are key in maintaining our public image and keeping operations moving smoothly. It's not superfluous in the least."

"Okay, fair enough," Lizzie nodded, accepting that answer. "Does it pay well?"

"Quite," Aemilia smiled. "I'm still negotiating the salary with Lukas, but it will start anywhere between $80 and $100k."

Summer's eyes popped open even wider than they had been before. She was going to be getting paid _at least_ double her current salary. "Holy frick on a stick," she blurted out, making Aemilia laugh. " _Really_?! Even though I've never done it before?"

"We pay very well at our company," Aemilia smiled, shifting her attention to Lizzie for a moment. "And if you'd like, Mrs. McAdams, I could try to find you a position as well."

Lizzie waved Aemilia off, reaching for the pitcher of mojitos. "I appreciate that, but for now, I'll have to decline. I've played 'director of damage control' for my husband for so long it might as well have been a full time job. I'm ready for a vacation."

Aemilia smiled and nodded in understanding. "Very well. But do let me know if you change your mind. And as the two of you already know, as per the merger's conditions, Mr. McAdams will be taking a seat on the board of directors in exchange for your company's assets and controlling interests."

"Right," Summer nodded. "And thank you for that. It's much better than him having no job and being stuck at home left to his own devices."

Aemilia nodded. "I'm optimistic about the entire arrangement. You'll start work the first week of July, if that's all right with you."

"Absolutely," Summer nodded before pausing with realization. "That's the same week as..."

"As the wedding," Aemilia finished for her, a sympathetic glint to her eyes. "I know."

Lizzie raised an eyebrow and glanced at Summer. "Guess you won't be getting a honeymoon."

Trying not to physically shudder at the very idea of a honeymoon, Summer shrugged, "That's... that's perfectly fine with me. I'd rather work than... yeah."

"I assumed," Aemilia replied. "And I don't think he would have been very receptive to the idea, either. But while we're on the subject of the wedding... perhaps we could talk about the dress?"

Summer groaned and tried not to visibly shrink. "Well..."

"Time is running out," Aemilia said gently. "Most of the arrangements have already been made. Has the wedding planner been in touch?"

Summer nodded. She'd been getting emails from an overly enthusiastic wedding planner and ignoring them, because there was nothing to reply to anyway. The woman usually just stated how things were going to be and left them at that.

"Then you know this is one of the last loose ends to tie up. I know you don't want to," Aemilia said gently, "but this wedding is going to have a _lot_ of guests. We have many friends, some of whom are rather famous politicians and celebrities, even royalty. You don't want to meet them for the very first time in a dress not of your choosing that you might hate."

"She's right," Lizzie agreed.

Summer nodded, realizing they were right and that she couldn't avoid this forever. At least the dress was something about the wedding that she could control, unlike the choice of groom. "Okay."

Aemilia suddenly smiled brightly. "Fantastic! Then we should get going. You have an appointment at Kleinfeld's in twenty minutes."

Summer's jaw dropped. " _What_?"

Lizzie gasped. "The _Say Yes to the Dress_ place?!"

Aemilia nodded with a smile, setting down a wad of cash on the table to cover the bill for three of them and then smoothly getting to her feet, her purse in hand. "Come along. They don't like late appointments."

Summer was really in for it now.

* * *

An hour later, Summer had tried on all of three dresses and was officially ready to cry, throw a fit on the floor, and then give up.

Rather than whine or groan her way through it all, she simply kept her mouth shut and tried on whatever the two ladies plus their consultant threw at her, suffering in silence. She felt numb, like she was really just a passenger to it all, trying to pretend that she'd never once daydreamed about someday shopping for a wedding dress with her mom and maybe some friends too, preparing for the happiest day of her life. She'd never imagined it would be like this, feeling hollow inside and not really caring what she wore when she married the terrifying man her father had sold her to.

Aemilia noticed Summer's quiet disinterest and despair, and when Lizzie wandered off with the consultant to search for more samples, she quietly approached her and said, "You're hating this, aren't you?"

Summer looked up from the rack of dresses she'd been staring sightlessly at and straightened up, cheeks flushing a little as she floundered for an answer. "I... well, it's.. just..."

"It's all right," Aemilia smiled gently and sympathetically. "I understand."

Summer let out a relieved breath and gave a small, helpless shrug towards the multitude of dresses before them. "I've seen a few things I like, but... I kind of... I don't know. It's weird. I almost feel like I shouldn't wear something that looks like _me_ , since this wedding isn't me. Does that make sense?"

"Actually yes, it does," Aemilia sighed, turning towards a different row of dresses. Summer followed her as she added, "What is your usual style?"

"Um, well, I guess... kind of conservative," Summer shrugged. "Vintage too, maybe. I like being comfortable, and my confidence isn't the best, so..."

"That's a shame, by the way," Aemilia said, glancing back at her giving a rueful smile. "You're a beautiful and intelligent young woman. There's no reason why you shouldn't have all the confidence in the world."

Summer was going to spend the rest of her life flailing inside over that particular comment. She was so momentarily thrown that she couldn't even answer, but she didn't have to because then Aemilia was asking her, "What kind of image do you _want_ to project on the day of the wedding? Maybe we should figure that out and go from there. There's nothing wrong with playing a part if it helps you get through something as difficult as what you're facing."

"Oh. Well... I guess I'd want to _look_ confident," Summer replied. "And strong." Then she paused and said with a chuckle, "Not to sound creepy or anything, but I guess I'd kind of want to look like you."

Aemilia smiled at that and then replied quietly, as if she was telling Summer a secret, "Well, let me assure you, dear, I didn't achieve my current level of confidence overnight. It took quite a bit of time and hard work. It's a long story."

"I'd love to hear it," Summer smiled, hoping she didn't sound like a creepy fangirl or stalker, but it didn't seem like Aemilia saw her that way.

"I'll tell you one of these days," she chuckled. "But for now, let's find you that dress."

Summer stifled a sigh and nodded, following Aemilia as they turned a corner. Then she stopped when Aemilia came to a halt, standing in front of a mannequin that caught her eye. Summer looked up and suddenly felt like she might need that pitcher of mojitos back.

"That's beautiful," Aemilia said, admiring the dress displayed before them.

Summer blinked. "It's... uh..."

Lizzie suddenly reappeared, standing at Summer's side and letting her eyes find the dress that both girls were staring at. " _Oh_. That's hot."

"... I can't wear that," Summer decided. "That is..."

"Not you?" Aemilia asked with a small smile. "That was the idea, yes?"

 _Aw, dammit_. Summer turned back to the dress and sighed, realizing that this dress fit the whole idea of playing pretend utterly perfectly. As plagued with self-doubt as she was, Summer knew she could pull the dress off and had quite the body for it, but... _damn_. It was one hell of a dress.

But with Aemilia's words of encouragement echoing through her mind, she decided to be brave and go ahead and give the dress a try. And when she tried it on and it ended up fitting her like a glove, no alterations required or anything, she couldn't think of a single valid reason _not_ to get it.

So she did, anxiety be damned. She might come to regret her decision when the day itself came, but for then, she was pretty sure that she had made the right choice.

* * *

The next two months passed by in a mind-numbingly quick flash. With every day that passed the wedding date drew ever closer, and the knots permanently fixed in Summer's belly grew tighter. She woke up in the mornings from fitful nights of sleep and could barely stomach any kind of breakfast, leading to an unintended weight loss of five pounds that required her dress to be altered a bit after all.

But she just couldn't help it. She was stressed to the max, nervous about her new job and terrified of her future husband and the manor that she was going to be moving into on the same day they said their vows. She had so many unanswered questions - would she have to sleep in the same room as him, or would he want her as far away as possible? Did he despise the very air she breathed but still expect her to perform certain wifely duties? Would he hurt her if she refused? Was there still time to fake her death and go live the rest of her life under an assumed name in the Bahamas?

She could have asked Aemilia any of these questions and gotten answers, but she was too nervous to know either way. Aemilia was becoming a good friend to her, a balm amidst the most stressful events of her life thus far, but Summer was too afraid of scaring her off somehow to confide her worst fears in her. She kept those to herself and tried not to lose her mind in the process.

Sam was far nicer and more normal than she ever could have expected. He stayed in the apartment across the hall from her and tailed her every day, never anything but friendly and not at all scary, at least not to her. Some nights he even brought over pizza of his that he hadn't finished, as if he had some kind of sixth sense regarding her less than intelligent eating habits. It happened at least once a week, and he'd always smile and wish her a good night after leaving her with the food.

So far, everyone in the mob that she'd met thus far was exceedingly friendly, except, of course, for the guy that she was going to marry. She didn't speak to him or see him once during those months leading up to the wedding, and while that was something of a relief, it also fed her anxiety because she was literally going to marry the guy after meeting him once and him saying one word to her.

He was beautiful, yes, but that didn't actually mean anything. Being pretty didn't make him any less terrifying or dangerous, and if anything, it somehow made her fear him even more.

On the day before the wedding, Lizzie offered Summer one more time to take a chance and just disappear together, give Sam the slip and be out of the country by the next morning. It was tempting, but ultimately Summer knew she couldn't do it. She'd worked too hard on her education and career to give it all up and run away, and they'd probably find her anyway. Short of that, Lizzie then offered to take her out on the town for an impromptu bachelorette party - very unsubtly suggesting she make the most of her last night of freedom - but Summer couldn't muster up much motivation for that either. She'd never been one for casual hookups, unable to feel much sexual interest for someone with whom she had zero emotional connection to, so in the end, they just made a girls' night of it and stayed in with food and movies and a very, very large bottle of wine.

Across the city, Bucky's "bachelor party" was spent trailing one of of his own men, whom he suspected of working with the Chinese behind his back. Bucky was the only one to suspect disloyalty, but when his gut told him something, he didn't ignore it.

He tracked the man to an empty warehouse, where he met with a man who ended up being one of the Triad's messengers. Guilt confirmed, Bucky shot them both through the building's wall, never even stepping foot inside. Then he left, heading back home to the manor and refusing to think about what awaited him the following morning.

While the two future spouses coped with their impending nuptials in wildly different ways, neither of them managed to get much sleep that night. Morning swiftly approached, and once it did, neither one of them could escape it.

OOO

"Rise and shine, sweetheart," Loki called out cheerfully, throwing open the curtains in Bucky's room to let the glaring sunshine in. He wrinkled his nose at the outpouring of dust that followed and wondered aloud, "Dear God, when was the last time you actually _opened_ these things?"

Bucky merely groaned and squinted his tired eyes before turning over and pulling his blanket over his head. Loki rolled his eyes and strolled towards the bed, reaching down and yanking the covers off. "Oh, come along, no sense in fighting me. You have a wedding to get ready for."

Bucky muttered a very colorful Russian curse under his breath and tried to yank the covers back, resulting in a brief tug of war that nearly brought Loki toppling over into the bed before he chuckled, "Careful, there. As much as I would typically not object to wrestling with an attractive, muscular, naked man in a bed, I am quite married and my wife might object."

Bucky opened his eyes and glared up at Loki. "Leave me alone."

"No," Loki replied without blinking. "Not until you are up and in the shower. We're on a schedule."

Bucky groaned and sat up, tossing the covers off and staring at Loki as if he was the one who was to blame for the wedding even happening. Then he got up without a word, naked as usual, and as he trudged off towards the bathroom, Loki asked, "Have you ever _once_ slept in those incredibly expensive pajamas I got you for Christmas a few years back?"

Bucky's right middle finger in the air was Loki's answer. He rolled his eyes in amusement, taking out his phone and texting Aemilia, _He's up. And as grumpy as you could imagine_.

 _Good_ , Aemilia replied quickly. _Get coffee in him and get him down to the Plaza. I'm on my way there with his tux now_.

Loki sighed and slipped his phone back into his pocket, running his fingers through his hair and then calling out when he heard the shower turn on, "Don't take too long in there!"

When Bucky replied with something in Russian again, this time something incredibly vulgar about what Loki could do to him, Loki chuckled and said, "I'd love to, darling, but once again, I'm married." He paused. "And in five hours, you will be, too."

* * *

"Summer," Lizzie whispered in a panicked tone. "Summer. _Summer_!"

Summer suddenly jolted awake, eyes wide and brain completely offline as she mumbled, "What? What happened? Where am I? Where's Tom?"

Lizzie furrowed her brows. "Tom? Tom who?"

"Tom, he was..." Summer trailed off and then frowned, having no clue what she was actually saying.

"Did you dream about Tom Hiddleston again?"

"No... Tom Cruise," Summer said, her entire face wrinkling. "He was trying to make me eat bacon-wrapped scallops and saying the aliens would get me if I didn't do it."

Lizzie blinked slowly. "You really need to stop taking acid right before bed, honey."

Summer then looked around her, realizing that she wasn't in bed but on her couch, and then it all came back to her with all the force of a frying pan to the face. "We fell asleep on the couch! And I'm getting married today!"

Lizzie nodded. "Yep. And we were supposed to be up and out the door an hour ago, so -"

"Frick frick frick _frick_ ," Summer chanted, scrambling up and off of the couch and running straight into Sam, who just barely avoiding spilling the two cups of coffee in his hands.

"Whoa, careful there, Marshmallow," Sam chuckled, offering her one of the cups once she recovered. "Here you go. Better drink it in a hurry."

"Thanks," she muttered, a little confused at his kindness and why he was in her apartment to begin with, but she'd worry about that later. Then she asked, "What did you call me?"

"Marshmallow," he repeated with a small smile. "Fits you."

She looked down at herself in sudden concern. "Am I getting fat?"

"No," he laughed. "But you _are_ whiter than white. Thus Marshmallow."

She paused. "I can accept that." Then she took a sip of her coffee and furrowed her brows. "How did you know how I like my coffee?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out," Sam replied, still grinning in a way that made him seem like the least threatening guy on earth. "Now go get ready. If I don't get you to the Plaza in 45 minutes, Aemilia's gonna kick my ass up and down Manhattan for the next week."

Summer nodded, downing half the coffee in one drink and then turning around. "Okay. Shower."

Lizzie nodded. "Yes. Go shower. Wash your hair. Shave everything."

Summer started walking and then stopped in her tracks, wrinkling her nose. " _Mom_."

" _What_? You can't be hairy on your wedding day!" Lizzie exclaimed. "Anywhere! When I married your father -"

"Oh God, if you love me please don't finish that sentence _ever_ ," Summer said, racing off towards the bathroom and flinging the door shut behind her.

Lizzie shrugged and glanced at Sam. "I'm not wrong."

Sam held up his hands in surrender. "Don't look at me. I'm not arguing with you."

* * *

As soon as Summer was ready to walk out the door, a team of professional movers were ready to walk in it and start loading all of her possessions into a truck waiting outside. While she was off and on her way to get pretty for an event that she dreaded more than a root canal, the movers were getting her belongings to the manor and moving them into the wing that she would be sharing with her distinctly not-loving husband.

In a single day, nearly every last facet of her life was changing. It was so much, so fast, that her struggling brain couldn't truly process it in any real meaningful way. A bit of a disaster came as a result.

She was with Lizzie, Aemilia, and the wedding planner - a very efficient, not especially friendly woman named Olga - in a room that had been set up for her to get ready in. Lizzie got dressed first and Aemilia showed up already in her bridesmaid dress, as she had volunteered to fill the role of Summer's maid - or matron - of honor, since she didn't really have any female friends she was close enough with to fit the bill. It was all incredibly surreal, and as Summer got dressed and endured hired hair and makeup stylists working on her to make her look like the city's most glamorous bride, she felt like she was floating in a bizarre dream and as if none of it was real.

That only changed once she was fully put together, and Lizzie was arranging her veil in her hair. Aemilia was on the phone across the room and the stylists and wedding planner were otherwise occupied, giving mother and daughter a rare quiet moment together.

"I just want you to know, pumpkin, that you are absolutely beautiful," Lizzie said, smiling warmly at her daughter's reflection in the full length mirror before them. "I know that this whole situation is a big, scary mess, but... I'm proud of you and how strong you've been since the start of all this. You're stronger than I've ever been."

"That's not true," Summer replied quietly. "And I couldn't do this without you."

Lizzie smiled back and sighed, having gotten the veil perfectly into place and removing her hands. "If your mama was here, she'd be crying up a storm right now."

Summer didn't want to think about that. She didn't want to think about the mother and the brother that should have been there with her on this strange, frightening day. Though she could barely remember them, it didn't mean their absence didn't hurt.

Summer turned around and hugged Lizzie, who carefully wiped a few tears from her own eyes after she pulled away and then took a deep breath. "Okay. Now. There's one more thing I wanted to talk to you about before we get going."

"What?" Summer asked, already feeling her heart starting to sink.

Lizzie chewed on her rose-pink colored bottom lip briefly. "Well... once this wedding's over, you're going to be going back to that manor with _him_. You're going to be his wife, and... Summer, I'm not saying this to scare you. I just want you to be prepared."

Summer could already feel her throat tightening and lungs constricting from a sudden lack of air.

"We don't know him," Lizzie continued, "and this is the _mob_ we're talking about. Hopefully he'll want as little to do with you as you do with him, but if not... if he... expects certain things from you..."

 _Oh God_.

"... Just... for your own sake, don't give him the chance to force you. Be... be available for him, for whatever he does or doesn't want from you."

And just like that, with those words from her mother, reality suddenly came crashing down and Summer spiraled headfirst into a panic attack of epic proportions.

She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, and couldn't see. Dark spots danced before her eyes and her entire body began to shake, and the ringing in her ears rendered Lizzie's frantic urgings for her to calm down to be mute, and before Summer could comprehend that she was having a panic attack and not actually dying, she was on the floor in her wedding dress and curled up in a hyperventilating ball.

Aemilia quickly rushed over to try to help, but Summer was beyond anyone's help. Sam was there too, trying to get her attention and urging her to match her breathing to his, but it was no use.

None of this was a dream. It was all real, and in less than an hour, she would be married to the Russian mafia and forced to do God knows what as the wife of a monster.

The last thing she heard before everything went black was Sam telling Aemilia to call for a doctor. Then she was unconscious, having hyperventilated until she finally blacked out.

* * *

Loki looked down at his phone and frowned. Bucky, fiddling with his tie in the mirror, noticed and asked, "What?"

"It seems that your fiancée suffered a severe panic attack a few minutes ago and fainted,"

Loki replied. "The ceremony may be a bit delayed as a result."

Bucky rolled his eyes and turned back to the mirror. "Fucking perfect."

Loki slipped his phone back into the pocket of his suit and watched Bucky's reflection in the mirror for a moment before asking, "Would it kill you to show a shred of sympathy every now and again?"

Bucky ignored him. Loki was officially sick and tired of his horrendous attitude.

"Honestly, James, I don't understand what's wrong with you," Loki said, stepping closer to his friend. "As inconvenient as this marriage is for you, it's nothing compared to what it is for _her_. Can you imagine even for a moment how terrified she must be?"

"Not my problem," Bucky muttered.

"Really?" Loki asked, eyebrow raised. "Your wife isn't your problem?"

Bucky's jaw clenched before he turned and glared at Loki. "Stop acting like she's gonna _actually_ be my wife. She's nothing, Lukas."

"She's a human being," Loki replied, incredulous. "And like it or not, _yes_ , she _is_ actually going to be your wife. And she's done nothing to you to merit such antipathy on your part."

"Yeah, keep fucking lecturing me," Bucky suddenly snapped, apparently more than done with the conversation already. "You have no idea what this is like. You married someone you actually love, who _you_ chose. You don't know a fucking thing about this, Lukas, so leave it alone."

"I don't?" Lukas asked, smiling humorlessly. "I don't know anything about being forced into horrifying situations, do I? Or being stripped of free will and having to do the bidding of men who couldn't care less about what it does to you? You of all people know that I do, James, so try pulling your head out your ass long enough to remember who you're talking to."

Bucky fell silent for only a few seconds before shaking his head and muttering, "It's different. You know it is. And if you can't let it go you can get the fuck out of here."

Loki chuckled and nodded. "Right. Of course. Push me away the moment I strike a nerve, because it's easier than admitting when I'm right."

"You're not," Bucky replied, tone growing sharper. "And you _know_ why."

Loki paused, choosing his next words carefully. He was about to wade into dangerous territory, but he felt that it was necessary. "James," he said quietly, his tone measured, "do you think that _she_ would approve of how you've treated this poor woman? And of how little regard you're showing Summer, and what a complete lack of basic human decency you've -"

Just like that, Bucky's eyes shifted from annoyed to _blistering_ fury as they snapped up to Loki's, and then before he could even fully realize what he was doing, Bucky had shoved his friend against the wall and had his hand wrapped around Loki's throat. "Don't you _dare_ ," he seethed, " _don't you fucking dare_ say a word about her."

Loki stared back at Bucky fearlessly, not surprised at all by his reaction. The hand around his throat wasn't squeezing or pressing, merely just resting there as a warning. "I usually wouldn't. You know that. But you shouldn't use her as an excuse for behavior that she would be horrified by."

Bucky stared at him for a moment before letting go with a shove, turning around and muttering, "Get out."

Loki sighed, straightening up and fixing his own suit. "Look, James -"

" _Get out,_ " he said again, dropping into a chair and reaching for a bottle whiskey that Loki wasn't entirely sure of the origins of.

Deciding to go ahead and leave for a bit to give Bucky time to cool down, Loki turned and headed for the door only for it to open and a familiar face to appear.

"Wonderful timing," Loki chuckled, patting Steve on the shoulder as he walked by. "He's all yours."

Steve watched Loki go and then turned on his eyes on his lifelong best friend, sitting slumped in a chair and drinking whiskey straight from the bottle. He walked inside and closed the door, distinctly not surprised to have found Bucky like that.

He fell into the chair across from Bucky, remarking, "Isn't it a little early for that?"

Bucky stared at the bottle of whiskey before shrugging. "Not today."

Steve nodded, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "You know, I always figured _I'd_ be your best man when you finally got married. Or that you'd at least tell me the news yourself. I read the engagement announcement in the _Times_."

Bucky finally looked up at Steve. "S'not real. None of it is. You know that."

"Yeah. Still would have been nice to hear it from you," Steve said with a rueful smile. Bucky didn't respond, instead taking another generous swig of the whiskey. "So... what's she like?"

Bucky shot Steve a glare. "Wouldn't know. Only met her once. And I don't care."

Steve didn't find that surprising in the least. "Well, guess I'll find out soon enough. She Bratva too?"

Bucky shook his head. "She's nobody. Her father worked for us and fucked up some accounts. We absorbed his company and he... offered her to us."

"I take it you were against the arrangement."

"Didn't even know about it until it was done," Bucky said, taking another drink. "Two months later, here we are."

Steve sighed, waving the bottle off when Bucky tried to offer it to him. "I'm sorry, Bucky. You know, I thought with you being Captain now and all, you'd be the one calling the shots."

Bucky let out a harsh laugh and brought the bottle back to his lips. "Me too."

* * *

When Summer came to, she was lying on a sofa and surrounded by a small group of people, including one person whom she didn't recognize and immediately shrank away from the minute she opened her eyes.

 _Great_. She had actually panicked so hard that she fainted. _Fantastic_.

"I'm fine," she immediately muttered, trying stupidly to sit up, but then gentle hands were easing her back down.

"Hey, take it easy. Nobody's in a rush here," the unknown guy said. Behind him, Lizzie looked worried sick, and Aemilia was equally concerned. Sam was also watching carefully, brows knit as if he cared too. Maybe he did.

"Who are you?" she asked the man, squinting when he shined a small light in her eyes to check her pupils.

"Dr. Banner, but you can call me Bruce," he replied, his tone as gentle as his hands. "I'm sort of the family doctor around here."

Summer groaned and laid her head back on the couch's armrest. "More mobsters. Yay."

He chuckled, looking at his watch and checking her pulse. "Don't worry, I'm the least scary guy you'll meet around here. Wasn't always true, but... it is now."

"That's... really not all that comforting," Summer replied, wishing she had just stayed unconscious.

"Sorry," he said, reaching into a small bag and retrieving a blood pressure cuff. "I can only imagine what you're going through right now. And I mean that, I'm not just saying it."

Summer shrugged, giving him her arm so he could wrap the cuff around it. "Thanks... I guess."

He glanced up at her and gave her a sad smile. "We're not as bad as you think. Most of us, anyway."

"Well, everyone I've met so far has been... surprisingly nice and normal," she said, glancing to Aemilia and Sam for emphasis. "Except for the guy I'm supposed to be marrying."

Bruce sighed and nodded, removing the cuff and returning it to his bag. "Yeah, he's a little... well, not a _little_ closed off. More like a lot."

"But you'll probably see a lot more of us than him on a daily basis," Sam said, following Bruce's silent plea to help him pull Summer up. "So hey, could be worse, right?"

Now sitting up, Summer took a deep breath and said, "Yeah... guess so."

"Well, you're completely healthy," Bruce said. "But I'm gonna take a wild guess that you're dealing with a lot of anxiety right now."

"What gave me away?" Summer deadpanned, making the doctor chuckle and reach into his bag one more time.

"Well, normally I wouldn't do this, but under the circumstances," he grabbed a bottle of pills and shook one out into his hand, then broke it in half. He placed the two small pieces in her hand and explained, "For anxiety. It's my own prescription, so half a dose should take the edge off. It won't make you feel drowsy or like the world could blow up and you wouldn't care, but it should help you get through the day. You can take one half now and one half later."

"Thank you," Summer said quietly, looking down at the little broken pill in her hand before looking up at him again. "You _are_ pretty nice."

"I try," he smiled back before getting up to his feet. He turned to Lizzie and Aemilia and said, "Call me if you need me again, but she should be fine."

"Thank you," Lizzie said, still looking worried sick but a little bit more relieved now. Aemilia quietly thanked him as well, and as he left, Sam retrieved a glass of water for Summer.

She didn't think twice before downing one half of the pill. Generally she disliked anxiety meds, after briefly being prescribed one in college that made her feel vaguely drunk and then another that had given her horrifying nightmares, so ever since then she coped with anxiety as best she could on her own. But today was not a day where that would quite cut it, and she was willing to take all the help that she could get.

Lizzie took the other half of the pill for safe keeping, and then Aemilia carefully helped Summer to her feet.

"Ceremony starts in fifteen minutes," she said gently. "Are you ready?"

Summer laughed a little humorlessly and shook her head. "No, but... I don't really have a choice, do I?"

* * *

The Plaza was known for being an opulent, gorgeous destination for brides and grooms across the world. Couples everywhere fought tooth and nail to book their weddings in any one of the building's grand ballrooms, and it had starred in a staggering number of movies as well. It was, put simply, _the_ place to get married in NYC - if you had a rather large chunk of change, of course.

And Bucky, of course, could not have possibly cared less.

Standing up at the altar where Olga had told him to go, Bucky's hands were in his pockets and his eyes were scanning over the rather large group present, all guests to his grand and luxurious wedding. Most of them he didn't give a shit about, a few of them he did, but most of all, he just wished that they had stayed home. He wished that _he_ had stayed home.

After a few minutes of sightless staring into the crowd and at the over-the-top decorations all over the ballroom, Bucky heard movement to his left and glanced over to find Loki taking his place at his side as best man. They glanced at each other and then looked away.

"Sorry," Bucky muttered. "I was an ass."

"Yes you were," Loki agreed. "You're lucky you didn't rumple my suit. I would have _really_ been angry then."

Bucky paused for a moment, then added, "You know, I never asked you to be my best man."

"And yet here I am anyway, because I am _that_ wonderful of a friend even when you behave like a black-hearted bastard." Loki then gave a dramatic sigh. "Honestly, you hardly deserve me."

Bucky didn't say anything to that, silently agreeing with Loki even though he knew the other man was joking. Instead, he simply kept his eyes ahead and waited for the ceremony to finally get started so he could get it over with.

In the front row, on Bucky's side, the seats that would have been occupied by his family if he had any were mostly empty. But instead of the parents and little sister he'd once had, there was only Steve. Steve had been there since the very beginning, through all of the things that had made Bucky who he currently was, and by some miracle, he still loved Bucky like a brother and refused to abandon him. Bucky didn't understand why. He would have abandoned himself a long time ago if he could have.

Then, right at the last moment, someone else came and took a seat in that same row, next to Steve. Bucky tried not to glare too much or let it show how very much he hated the man in that moment.

Alexander Pierce, Bucky's adoptive father and mentor and former Bratva Captain himself, shook Steve's hand cordially before sitting down and nodding at Bucky, smiling as if this was a normal wedding and the bride and groom actually liked each other. Or even knew each other.

Bucky nodded back, unable to muster up even a shadow of a smile and quickly averting his gaze. He had to show respect, as difficult as that was. He could still hardly believe that Pierce had done this to him.

In about another ten minutes, the room fell quiet and everyone was in their correct places. The soft first notes of the wedding march began to play on a piano, courtesy of Frieda who had offered her considerable talents, and then the ballroom's double doors opened.

Bucky kept his eyes down and to the ground for as long as he possibly could.

* * *

"Okay," Lizzie said a bit frantically, fluffing out Summer's veil and making sure she looked perfect. "Okay. You're ready. _Are_ you ready?"

Summer nodded, clutching a bouquet of red and white roses and mentally thanking God for Dr. Banner and his anxiety meds. She still wanted to vomit and run and hide and never be found again, but she was convinced that without his help, she would have fainted again at this particular moment.

Next to Lizzie stood Michael, her father, who had been MIA all day until about fifteen minutes prior. It was typical for him, ever the absent and unhelpful father that he had been her entire life.

"Okay. I'm gonna go in and sit down," Lizzie said, pulling Summer in for one more hug and a kiss on her cheek. "I love you. And I'm so proud of you. Stay strong, okay?"

"Okay," Summer nodded, trying not to cry as Lizzie forced herself to leave her side and get moving. Once she was gone, Summer felt a hand on her forearm and turned to find Aemilia giving her a warm but tight smile.

"It's going to be over soon," she assured Summer. "And I'm here for anything you need."

She nodded quickly, incredibly grateful for this woman and the help and support that she had given Summer out of her own free will and kindness. "Thank you."

Then she heard the music begin. Her heart suddenly pounding and knees threatening to get wobbly, Summer took a deep breath and took her father's arm when he offered it, not sparing him a glance as she focused on the doors in front of him.

"Start walking once I'm halfway to the altar," Aemilia said. "And remember, Summer, if you have to play a part to get through it, it's okay."

Aemilia was right. That was when Summer decided _to hell with it_. This was probably going to down in history as the worst day of her life, but she sure as hell wasn't gonna let it show. She knew exactly what she was gonna do.

The doors opened, and Aemilia began her walk. She was dressed in a beautiful off the shoulder floor length dress, the same color as the dark red roses in her bouquet, and her hair was down and pinned on one side. She was disarmingly gorgeous, walking down the aisle with her shoulders back and head held high, and Summer mimicked that stance as she prepared to begin her own fateful walk.

"I'm sorry, Summer," her father said quietly, taking her by surprise. "This is all my fault. I'm sorry."

"You should be," Summer replied. Then, with Aemilia halfway to the altar, she and Michael turned the corner and began to walk.

Though Summer had expected nothing but the very best, the beauty and elegance of the ballroom still took her breath away. Everything was awash in shades of gold and red, touches of white here and there, and all of the rows of seats were packed with people she didn't know. It was a wedding fit for a queen, and it was a shame because she couldn't enjoy any of it.

But she held her head high and didn't let any of that show. She played the part of someone else, some other woman who was confident and unafraid and strong, and while it wasn't easy, she maintained the facade with impressive resolve.

She looked up and saw _him_ standing there, dressed in a traditional black tux with his hair pulled back and out of his face, his eyes nowhere near her. He was achingly beautiful, even better than she remembered, and when his eyes unexpectedly flitted to her for just a fraction of a second, her facade nearly crumbled into pieces. His eyes locked with hers and then moved down to her feet, starting there and working their way back up to her eyes. Then he looked away as if it pained him to even see her.

Her skin suddenly felt like it was burning under her dress. She knew how beautiful she looked, as if she was something straight out of a high-fashion wedding magazine. Her dress had cost nearly $20,000 - the Bratva had footed the bill, of course - and it fit her like a glove. It was no cupcake gown. It clung beautifully to her curves, flaring out into a mild mermaid-style skirt at the bottom. The top of the gown was sheer and covered with strategic lace overlay, winding down her arms and over her collarbone and covering her breasts in a sweetheart neckline, leaving just the right amount of skin exposed. Then at her waist there was a little bow in the front, and the rest of the gown was solid white and very well fitted.

Her smooth black hair was up and in an elegant chignon, and her face was a work of delicate art thanks to the makeup artist who had left her looking like something out of a movie. Her eyes were dramatic and strikingly blue, her cheekbones contoured and a standout feature, and her lips were a soft, natural pink that was paired well with her dramatic eye.

She looked and felt beautiful, but none of it was _her_. The dress wasn't her, the makeup wasn't really her, and the brave face she was wearing certainly wasn't her.

But like Aemilia had told her before... perhaps that was the point.

When Michael took her to the altar, where a minister stood waiting, the music came to a stop and Summer brought her eyes up to her groom. There was no fanfare or kiss on the cheek or _anything_ as Michael officially handed her over to him, letting her go and leaving her standing there before Bucky as he went to go and sit next to Lizzie. Summer handed her bouquet to Aemilia, and then she took her place at the altar, directly in front of her fiancé.

Summer took a deep breath and held out her hand when Bucky didn't. He looked at it for a moment before taking it, eyes flitting up to hers for a split second before fixing upon the minister as he began to speak.

Summer barely heard the man. She didn't even know what church he was from. For all she knew, he could have been licensed through the Church of Scientology or maybe a cult of chupacabra worshippers. Whatever he was, she didn't care, because all she could focus on was the hand gently cradling hers.

It was the first time she'd ever touched him. His hand was much larger than hers, and it wasn't especially soft. It was rough in a way that was fitting for a man who had been handling guns and other weaponry for a large portion of his life, and who had maybe maimed and killed with his bare hands as well.

She swallowed down a sudden lump in her throat and tried not to think about that.

The minister's remarks were short and not nearly as flowery as one would expect. She wondered if he had been instructed to keep it short and get to the point, because that was certainly what he did as he turned to her first and asked if she had Bucky's ring.

She didn't. Aemilia did, however, and after quickly depositing the small white gold band in Summer's free hand, the minister began to recite the vows that Summer had to repeat.

Each word left her mouth feeling like gravel on her tongue. It was all such a joke, but she said it anyway, and she wondered if the less informed folks in the audience thought the tremble in her voice was one born of joy.

"I, Summer McAdams, take you, James Barnes," she began softly, "to have and to hold from this day forward. In sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, for better or for worse." She slid the band on his left ring finger and then muttered, "Till death do us part."

 _God_ she hoped she didn't have to wait for death to run from him as fast as she could.

Her part done, it was now Bucky's turn to pledge his undying devotion to her. He took the ring that Lukas handed to him, a small band dotted with small but exquisite diamonds, and he took off her engagement ring as he prepared to slide it on.

He spoke in a dull, numb monotone, her name rolling off his tongue without a hint of emotion either way. He repeated the same vows as she did, pushing the ring on her finger and then replacing the engagement ring on top of it. Then, once he was finished, his eyes met hers and this time, he held her gaze. She suddenly couldn't breathe.

"You may now kiss your bride," the minister said, and Summer's stomach dropped. Somehow, she had forgotten about this part. She'd been so busy freaking out about everything else that she had genuinely forgotten that they would be required to kiss at the end.

She watched Bucky clench his jaw and lean forward, her heart speeding up to dangerous levels the closer he got. It happened incredibly fast, so much so that she barely had time to close her eyes before he gave her a kiss so small and so barely existent that it made the typical peck between 90 year old grandparents look nothing short of passionate. Then he pulled away, and Summer opened her eyes to find him looking as uncomfortable as she felt.

Then the minister pronounced them husband and wife, and at long last, the ceremony was over.

Hand still in his, they turned to face the crowd and the music started up again. Summer looked down at Lizzie, who was crying tears that weren't of joy, and then at Michael, who couldn't seem to look his daughter in the eye.

Then Bucky was leading her back down the aisle. She plastered a smile on her face, trying to at least look the part of a happy newlywed, having no idea who most of the people were who were cheering so happily for them.

A photographer was flitting around, snapping photo after photo of them as they made their way out and through the double doors. The very minute they walked out of the ballroom and were out of sight, Bucky removed his hand from hers like it would have burned had he touched her any longer. Then he stalked off, heading only God knew where, leaving her standing there alone and feeling like a complete idiot.

Luckily, before she could fall apart and start crying off all her makeup, Aemilia and Lukas were both there at her side. "Ignore him," Aemilia said gently, taking her hand and leading her forward.

"I'll go after him," Lukas said, giving Summer a sympathetic look. "You did beautifully, by the way. And you look stunning."

"Thanks," Summer smiled weakly before Lukas headed off to go find Bucky wherever he had wandered off to.

"Come along," Aemilia said, pulling her forward. "Reception starts within the hour. Let's go have a drink while we wait, hm?"

"Okay," Summer nodded happily. "And when you say a drink you mean like five, right?"

Aemilia chuckled. "Whatever you want, dear. It's your day, after all."

* * *

All of the wedding receptions that Summer had been to were always kicked off with the happy new couple being introduced and then sharing their first dance as husband and wife. Luckily, her reception didn't start out like that. Instead, the party was already in full swing when her hand was forced into Bucky's one more time and they walked into the reception hall, getting far warmer of a welcome than Summer had expected.

She put on her best fake smile again and prepared to meet a _lot_ of people.

The reception was packed and every bit as gorgeous as the wedding itself had been. Each table had centerpieces dripping with what might have been actual real diamonds, and there was a live jazz band providing the music. Everything oozed money and almost disgusting levels of excess, and when Summer glanced up at her new husband to find him looking rather put off by it all, she wasn't surprised.

She wondered if he even had the physical capability to smile or if all the necessary facial muscles had been paralyzed in some kind of bizarre accident.

Still hand in hand, Bucky hadn't had a chance to run away from his new wife yet before Alexander Pierce decided to be the first to steal a moment of their time.

"Well, take a look at the happy new couple," he said, grinning at both Bucky and Summer and clearly lacing his tone with a heavy dose of sarcasm. Then he focused on Summer. "We unfortunately haven't had a chance to meet yet. I'm Alexander Pierce. Your new father in law."

"Oh," she said with surprise, shaking his hand. "Hi. You're... his dad?"

"I adopted him after his parents passed away," Pierce explained, releasing her hand.

"Oh. Okay. Well it's very nice to meet you," she said a bit meekly, trying to piece together just what this man actually was. She knew that he had built Pierce Consolidated, but she hadn't anticipated him also being Bucky's adopted father.

"You as well," he replied with a nod. "You look absolutely stunning." He reached out and gave Bucky's shoulder a pat and grinned at him. "You're a lucky man, Bucky."

Bucky merely clenched his jaw in reply. Summer wasn't sure that she'd ever been more uncomfortable in her life.

"Welcome to the family, Summer," Pierce then said. "I think you'll make a nice fit. Don't you agree?"

"... I hope so," she replied, smiling weakly. For some reason, Pierce seemed to find that rather funny and laughed before bidding them farewell.

Following _that_ lovely encounter, Summer gently eased her hand out of Bucky's, doing them both a favor. Then she glanced up at him cautiously and cleared her throat before asking, "So, uh... since we're... married now... can you tell me what to call you?"

He didn't look at her, but he at least gave her answer this time, albeit begrudgingly. "Bucky."

"Okay," she replied, a little shocked to have gotten an answer from him. "Just because, you know... I should probably... know what you prefer, since... I'm your wife and... wives know these things. Usually."

When she stopped rambling, he turned and looked at her with a completely blank expression on his face. Then he turned away and headed straight for the open bar.

 _Okay then_.

"Oh, there you are," Lizzie said, catching up with Summer and throwing her arms around her in relief. "I was worried. How are you feeling? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Summer assured her. "Almost ready for the other half of that pill, though."

Before Lizzie could commiserate with her, a very tall, blonde, good looking man approached them with a surprisingly friendly smile on his face.

"Hi," he said, looking almost sheepish. "I'm Steve Rogers, your - Bucky's friend. I wanted to meet you before the wedding, but..."

"Oh," Summer smiled, "yeah, it... everything's been kind of... insane. I'm Summer, and this is my mom, Lizzie."

He shook both of their hands, smiling and somehow putting Summer at ease a little bit with his calm and non-threatening demeanor. "Well, you look great," Steve said. "Both of you."

"I like you," Lizzie immediately said, flashing him a smile. "Are you single?"

" _Mom_!" Summer exclaimed, and Steve laughed. He also blushed. _Blushed_.

"What? It was just a question. Anyway," Lizzie then said, "so you said you're his friend?"

Sobering a little, Steve nodded. "Yeah. He's my best friend, actually. I've known him since we were kids."

"So then are you, um... are you also..." Summer gestured vaguely to the rest of the room, and it took a minute but then Steve understood.

"Oh! No, I'm not Bratva," Steve replied. "I'm actually a SHIELD agent."

Both Summer and Lizzie dropped their jaws. "You... work for the government?" Summer asked, flabbergasted. "And you're at My Big Fat Russian Mafia Wedding?"

"Well," Steve chuckled, "it's a long story. But yeah."

"So, um..." Summer fidgeted with the rings on her finger, "was he always... like this? Angry and... kind of mean and rude?"

"No," Steve sighed, regret and a twinge of sadness covering his face. "No, not at all. He's a good man. He's just... been through hell. More than once. It's taken a toll on him."

Summer nodded, wondering what had happened to Bucky that everyone kept vaguely referring to but not explaining. Due to his lack of blood family - easy to deduce following the wedding and his empty side - she assumed that played a part in it, but she had a feeling there was much more to it than that.

"Well... you should probably go talk to him," Summer said, glancing over to where Bucky stood at the open bar, flanked by a short but curvy little redhead. "He seems pretty... unhappy with everything and I'm pretty sure he hates me, so..."

"I doubt that," Steve replied. "It's the principle that he hates. Being forced into something like this is... difficult for him. Though I'm sure it's a lot harder for you."

Summer let out a humorless laugh. " _Yeah_. It's been kind of pure hell, but, you know. I'm... hanging in there, I guess."

"Good," Steve said. "And if you ever need help with anything, just let me know. I mean that."

"Okay," Summer smiled. "Thank you."

He smiled back and then told the two ladies his goodbyes before heading towards his best friend across the room. As he left, Lizzie's gaze shifted from Steve's Dorito-shaped torso to Bucky and the redhead that he was currently knocking back a glass of whiskey with.

"Oh boy," Lizzie said, pointing them out to Summer. "Check out the body language. Those two have definitely done the deed."

Summer looked and inwardly groaned, not really wanting to think about that. The woman Bucky was talking to was gorgeous, and they really did look incredibly relaxed with each other. In fact, it was the most relaxed that Summer had ever seen him.

"Okay," Summer groaned, looking away. "Let's go find our table and sit before I vomit."

"Good call," Lizzie agreed, and together they began to make their way to the table designated for the bride and groom and their families. The table was, of course, currently empty and would likely stay mostly that way.

Making their way through the crowd, Summer kept her head down to try to avoid garnering anymore attention than she already was, but she regretted that decision when it caused her to bump into someone's back. It was no small bump, either - it was more like an accidental body slam that made her gasp and immediately start apologizing as the man turned around.

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry," she started babbling. "I didn't see you at all. I'm sorry."

"It is okay," the man replied as soon as he turned, and that was when Summer's eyes widened and she nearly fainted all over again.

She had just embarrassed herself in front of the King of Wakanda.

"Ah, the bride," he smiled, "I've been looking forward to meeting you. I am T'Challa."

She smiled widely and giggled - genuinely _giggled_ , because a literal _King_ had been looking forward to meeting _her_ \- and she replied as he shook her hand, "I know. You're the King. I mean, not _the_ King, as in the King here since we don't have a King, but - oh God, I'm sorry. I've just never met royalty before."

His smile grew, giving away his amusement at her babbling. "It is okay. And don't worry, tonight I am not a king. I am your guest."

She giggled again, mentally yelling at herself to _stop fricking giggling_ , and said, "Oh gosh. I feel horribly unqualified for that kind of thing. Oh and I'm sorry, I'm being rude - this is my mom, Lizzie."

Lizzie batted her eyelashes at the handsome royal as he smiled and shook her hand, and then he said, "This wedding, it seems to have come out of nowhere. I didn't know that Barnes was even engaged."

His accent was one of the most hypnotic ones she had ever heard. "Yeah, it... was definitely a whirlwind kind of thing," Summer said. "How, um... how do you know him? Are you..."

"... In the mob?" T'Challa asked with a laugh. "Of course not. I am a king. I am above all of this. No, I met Barnes a few years ago, when my father was assassinated. The man who killed him planted evidence that led me to the Bratva, and specifically your husband. I hunted him down and tried to kill him."

Summer's eyes widened. "Oh."

"When I realized I had the wrong man, he and I looked for the real culprit. The assassin was a mutual enemy who wanted to see us destroy each other."

"Did you catch him?" Lizzie asked.

"I did," T'Challa replied. "He is now rotting in the darkest dungeons in all of Africa."

"Well, that is... badass," Summer said, eyes still the size of saucers. " _Wow_. And I'm sorry about your dad. I remember when it happened and reading the news about it. He seemed like a really great man."

"Thank you," he replied. "And he was. A better man than me, but I am trying." He smiled, and Summer couldn't help but smile back. Then he looked up, seemingly over her shoulder, and he grinned, "Your bride is lovely, Barnes. Where did you find her?"

"I didn't," Bucky replied flatly, standing next to Summer and taking a drink of the whiskey in his hand.

Summer, her cheeks burning with sudden embarrassment, said, "What he means is... fate brought us together."

"Ah," T'Challa said, though Summer could tell that he knew something was off. It was obvious, and this man was a known genius. She had written a paper in college on modern royalty, and he had been one of three princes she had researched for it. He was kind of amazing. "Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Summer. Good luck keeping this one in check."

She forced a laugh, the idea of _that_ utterly preposterous, and after he turned and wove his way back into the crowd, Summer stood there for a moment in shock that she had actually just met the King of Wakanda. Then she remembered that Bucky was standing next to her and looked up at him questioningly.

"There are a lot of important people here," he told her lowly, his tone almost threatening. "I would appreciate it if you didn't make a fool of yourself. Reflects badly on me."

Summer's mouth fell open. A mixture of outrage and fear crashed through her veins, leaving her feeling more suddenly shaky than anything, but it was Lizzie who spoke up in the end.

"Excuse me?" she raised an eyebrow. "What is _that_ supposed to mean? It's not exactly her fault that she tripped and fell on a king, and that king actually seemed to like her a whole lot. I know you're Mr. Big Scary Mob Guy, but that's my little girl you're talking to and I am _not_ afraid to stand up to you."

Bucky stared at Lizzie in clear surprise. Nobody - except Lukas - ever talked to him like that. Especially nobody he barely knew and had the power to kill with barely a flick of his little finger. Summer looked at Lizzie in sudden alarm, wishing that she hadn't said anything, but it was too late now. The words were out there, and all three of them stood there in silence for a few painfully long seconds.

Finally, Bucky lost the staring contest with Lizzie and glanced at Summer. "Just be more careful from now on," he muttered before walking away.

Summer let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. Lizzie did too, and then promptly closed her eyes and whispered, "Hell yeah!"

"I can't believe you just did that," Summer said, nearly hyperventilating all over again. "I thought lasers were gonna shoot out of his eyes and disintegrate us both."

"Not today, honey," Lizzie said, taking her daughter's hand and leading her back towards their original destination of the bride and groom's table. "Come on. I need a drink after that."

Summer thoroughly agreed, but they didn't make it to the table before more people caught them and made their introductions. This time it was a group of three people - the redhead who Bucky had been chatting comfortably with, a middle aged guy on the shorter side wearing bright red sunglasses, and a very very tall man whom Summer recognized from the portraits at the manor.

"Well, hello, lovely ladies," the shorter man said, pushing his glasses down his nose and eyeing both Summer and Lizzie. "You know, if one of you wasn't wearing a wedding dress, I honestly wouldn't be able to tell who's the mother and who's the daughter."

"Keep talking, slick," Lizzie grinned, making Summer want to slam her palm to her face. "I like you already."

He grinned back and extended his hand. "Good, 'cause so do I. Tony Stark."

"Lizzie McAdams," she smiled back. "Disclaimer, though - I'm married."

He shrugged. "Yeah, well, nobody's perfect." Then he turned his eyes on Summer and wondered aloud, "Now how did Murder Daddy get a woman like you?"

Summer's eyes nearly bulged from her skull. "Murder... Daddy?"

"Ignore him," the redhead said, affectionately shoving Tony out of the way. "Most of us do. I'm Natasha, and this is Arthur."

"Hello!" Arthur smiled, holding out an enormous hand and happily shaking Summer's own much, _much_ smaller one. He was huge and had long blonde hair and a glorious beard, and he didn't even seem fully human. "It's a pleasure to meet you! I've heard many good things about you from my brother, Lukas."

Before Summer could reply, Tony interjected, "Don't bother calling him Arthur, though. Literally nobody does. He's Thor."

"Thor?" Summer laughed.

"Ah, yes, that has been my nickname since I was about 8, I think," Arthur - or _Thor_ \- chuckled. "You see, my mother liked to read stories from the old myths to us as children, and Lukas and I liked to pretend we were Thor and Loki and wage mock battle against each other. The names just sort of stuck."

"You know, they kinda suit you both," Summer smiled. Thor was so warm and friendly, like literal human sunshine, and again she had to wonder how these people were _in the mob._

 _"_ Can I ask a question?" Lizzie suddenly asked. "I hope this isn't offensive, but I'm just curious - how are you all in the Russian mob and yet none of you look or sound actually Russian?"

"Well," Natasha explained, "I was born and raised in Russia. I only came here in my 20's, and I lost my accent for strategic purposes. Thor and his family are fully Russian, but they spent time in London as children and picked up English accents they won't let go of."

"I'd like to think I sound quite distinguished," Thor smiled.

"We all have a connection to Russia, one way or another." Natasha paused. "Except Stark."

"Not true," Tony protested. "Remember Irina?"

Natasha rolled her eyes. "Almost knocking up a Russian heiress doesn't give you a connection to Russia, Tony."

Tony scoffed. "Then what the hell _does_?"

"Anyway," Natasha said, smiling politely at Summer, "it's very nice to meet you. I wanted to meet you sooner but I've been busy and the timing didn't work out."

"Yeah, you've caused quite the buzz around here, little lady," Tony said. "Everyone's been dying to meet the future Mrs. Buckaroo."

"... I really hope that's not gonna be my nickname," Summer replied.

"His nickname for you will change daily," Natasha shrugged. "It's what he does."

"It's true," Tony nodded. "By the way, Nat, today you're Red Dawn."

"Yes, because I have red hair and the original movie was about a Soviet invasion of America," she rolled her eyes. "So clever."

"Hey, I don't run R & D at Pierce for nothing," Tony said. "So, Summer. How're you enjoying your transition from civilian to mob queen?"

Summer hesitated. "Um..."

"Show some sensitivity, Stark," Thor replied. "I'm sure this has been a very difficult time for her."

"It has," Summer nodded. "But... I don't know. I'm just... going with it. Don't really have much choice, so..."

"You'll adjust," Natasha said. "Like we all have."

There was something about that statement that Summer didn't like, but she kept her mouth shut. She didn't expect to adjust or accept her new life, and she certainly didn't expect to grow so comfortable in it the way all of these people were. In her mind, she was still the lamb being led to the lion's den, and no matter how nice Aemilia and Lukas and Sam and the others were, they were still the _mafia_ and this was the absolute last thing she ever wanted to be associated with.

But the vows had been made, the rings exchanged, and the marriage license signed. There was no going back now, only forward, and that was the most terrifying direction of all.

The rest of the reception passed by in a bit of a blur. Summer met more people, ate gourmet catering (kosher, thanks to Aemilia's thoughtfulness) and the best damn cake she'd ever tasted, and avoided every single reception tradition in the book. She and Bucky never danced together, didn't cut the cake together, and he _definitely_ didn't go diving under her skirt to retrieve her garter so he could throw it to his friends. They never even sat at the same table again, and in fact, he stayed away from her until the time came to take pictures that they couldn't get out of.

Summer always found taking posed pictures to be a generally awkward experience, but this predictably took the cake. The photographer tried to take traditionally romantic pictures of them together, and while Summer went with the poses and did as she was told, she knew the tension and discomfort would show in the pictures.

Then the photographer asked them both to smile. Summer almost laughed, knowing that Bucky wouldn't do it. He tightened his jaw and glared at the photographer for a minute, but then he looked down and took a breath before looking back up. And then he smiled.

Even though it wasn't real and the smile didn't reach his eyes, Summer found herself in awe of his sheer beauty. He was absolutely _breathtaking_ , and if he hadn't been a terrifying killer and they had met under other circumstances - and he didn't hate her - she could see herself actually having a real thing for him.

But circumstances weren't different, and he _was_ a killer. And after the photos were done, it was time to go home.

Lizzie slipped Summer the other half of the anti-anxiety pill, and she downed it before hugging her goodbye. Aemilia hugged her as well, assuring her that she was there for anything Summer needed, and that she would see her at the manor the following day. Summer stalled for as long as she possibly could, but once the car was ready and Bucky seized her hand to lead her outside, she couldn't stall any longer. It was time to go home.

They exited the Plaza under a row of sparklers held up by their guests, like any other regular married couple, and it made Summer's heart ache with regret. Wedding days weren't supposed to be filled with sadness and fear and anxiety, but thanks to her father and the wonderful men at the top ranks of the Bratva, this had been her wedding day. And now she got to go home to an enormous mansion she had only visited once before and find out just what her wedding night was going to entail.

The pit in her stomach couldn't be tamed by all the anxiety meds in the world.

* * *

The ride home to the manor took about twenty minutes. In those twenty minutes, Bucky didn't say a word to Summer, and she didn't say a word to him. She sat on one end of the backseat and he sat on the other, and they barely looked each other's way the entire time.

Bucky looked at her once, just minutes before they arrived back at the mansion. He only allowed himself a second or two to look, and when he did, he saw nothing but tension and unease in how she sat there, staring out the window and holding her hands in tight fists in her lap.

She was scared. He didn't blame her.

Truthfully, he had expected her to fall apart in a very public way. Maybe get drunk at the reception or erupt into tears, try to run away to escape her fate, but she never did any of those things. He watched from afar as she met key members of the American Bratva and smiled with them, laughing at their jokes and even charming a _king_ with her awkward but bubbly demeanor, and he hadn't expected _any_ of that.

He was glad she wasn't a hysterical, ridiculous woman. If she was one to suffer in silence - which was the impression he had gotten so far - that was good. He could stuff her into the manor and make everyone else deal with her when she needed something. The quieter she was, the less of a headache she'd be.

Once the car pulled into the courtyard and came to a halt, Bucky quickly exited his side of the car and walked over to hers. He wasn't completely without manners, but she didn't know that. She had opened her door and was already halfway out when he appeared before her, holding out a hand to help her up and out of the car.

She stared at him like he had three heads. He was on the verge of snapping his hand back and revoking his help offer when she finally took it and let him help her get up to her feet.

"Thanks," she muttered. He nodded and then let go of her hand, shoving his own into his pockets and leading the way inside of the manor.

As determined as he was not to give a fuck, even he was feeling the awkwardness.

He stepped inside the sprawling home, Summer trailing behind him silently. Without a word spoken between the two of them, she followed him up the winding staircase, towards the wing that he, and now also she, occupied.

He was ready to lock himself inside of his room, let his hair down and peel off the suit that he'd been wearing all day, maybe drag out the pack of cigarettes he kept for emergencies and smoke until his nerves gave him a break. But first he had to show Summer to her room, which wasn't a job that he had wanted to end up stuck with. But yet here he was.

One somewhat long walk down the main hallway, they reached the door of Summer's new room. He opened it up and flicked the light on, then turned to her expectantly.

She looked at him and then into the room, then back at him. "Is... is this... our room?"

"It's your room," he replied.

"Oh. So we're not..."

"No."

"Okay."

She then finally walked inside of her room, heels clicking on the fine wood floors beneath her feet. All of her things had been moved in earlier, most of it all in boxes that were stacked from the floor to the ceiling. She'd have a lot to do in the coming days.

Bucky grabbed the doorknob and moved to close the door. Summer's voice stopped him.

"Wait," she said, turning and meeting his slightly irritated gaze through the open potion of the door. He let it drift back open again, and her cheeks lit up with an obvious blush as she cast her eyes down and blurted, "I, um... I kind of... I need help getting my dress off. It's... there's buttons instead of a zipper, so..."

For a moment, he almost thought that she was kidding. But the blush and embarrassment on her face was real, so when he realized that she was serious, he let go of the doorknob and stepped inside, letting the door swing shut behind him.

Summer immediately turned around, showing him the back of her dress and not moving a muscle as he slowly approached her from behind. He tried not to let his eyes drag over the impressive figure that her dress so clearly and perfectly displayed, but... he was only a man, and certain things were beyond his control.

From the moment that she had walked into the Plaza ballroom earlier, wearing the same dress that he was about to help her take off, he knew that he would have been lying if he tried to say that she wasn't absolutely beautiful. He'd known that since he had met her, but seeing her like this... _well_. Like he said, he was only a man.

But that didn't matter. He had seen the way that she looked at him, too, and he wasn't an idiot. He knew how good looking he was and what it meant when a woman like her snuck little looks here and there and blushed whenever she got caught. It was simply irrelevant, however, because they were a match made in hell and he wasn't interested in trying to make their joke of a marriage legitimate in any possible way.

Once he was close enough, he reached up with both hands to unfasten the very first button. There were a _lot_ of buttons - almost a cruel amount - and they were small and delicate. He carefully worked his way down each one, her dress slowly opening and exposing a growing line of skin to his eyes. She appeared to be bare underneath that dress, at least on her back, and when his fingers accidentally skimmed her soft, warm skin, his fingers tingled and she shivered.

His eyes snapped up, running over the back of her neck and her hair where it was still pinned elegantly on her head, and for a second - just a split second - he wondered if he couldn't just... push her dress down to the floor, put his hands on her hips and pull her body against his.

He hadn't touched a woman in two months, since Natasha had cut him off, and this woman - his _wife_ \- had the kind of curves that made his mouth water. If she had shivered at just that faint, accidental brush of his finger on her back, maybe she would be receptive to the idea. Maybe this little dress thing had been her attempt at a seduction. _Maybe_ , if they had to endure being married to each other against their wills, they could at least enjoy a benefit or two on the side.

The last button undone and his brain not functioning as well as it should have been, he took a chance. He put his hand on her arm, just above her elbow, and gently turned her to face him.

That was what ruined everything.

She was crying. She was _fucking crying_ , holding her dress to her chest and trembling with what was obviously fear. She couldn't even look him in the eye, and for a few seconds, he was utterly and completely confused.

If she was that scared of him, then why the hell would she...

"If... if you want to, I won't say no," she told him, still staring at the floor and her voice wobbly and quiet.

Then he finally understood. It dawned on him that she expected him to expect _this_ from her. She was beautiful, and he was no old, decrepit man. They despised each other, yes, but what man wouldn't at least try to bring a woman like her into his bed while he had the chance?

It made perfect sense. He understood her logic and couldn't blame her for it for a minute. But it also made his blood start boiling with anger, because while he was many things, a lot of them not exactly good, he would never be _that_ kind of man.

"What kind of fucking monster do you think I _am_?" he snapped lowly, his tone even sharper than he had originally intended. Her eyes widened with surprise.

"I... I don't... I just didn't know what to expect, and..." Her face was aflame with even more embarrassment now, eyes flitting everywhere they possibly could to avoid his own.

"Now you know," he said, his clipped tone making her finally look him in the eye. "Don't expect anything from me."

He then turned on his heel and walked away, slamming her door shut behind him. From that point forward, he told himself, she would simply be dead to him. He clearly terrified her, so much so that she had apparently convinced herself to offer him sex so that he wouldn't take it from her by force, and if that was truly how she saw him - as some kind of savage lowlife who would have raped her on their wedding night had she not beat him to the punch - then he would do them both a favor and stay away from her as far as he possibly could.

He went to bed angry that night, cursing the names of the men who had put him in this situation to begin with. Summer went to bed crying, her pride shattered and beyond humiliated.

As weddings nights go, it certainly wasn't the best. But for both of them, it wasn't especially surprising, and they saw it as an omen for the future. Whatever began this badly would only end even worse, surely, and the idea of something even more deplorable than _this_ was a frightening thought indeed.

But they would find out soon enough. For now, it was only the start of their new life together as husband and wife.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: heyyyy everyone! Like I keep saying every week, I continue to be flabbergasted by the response to this story. Only three chapters and the review count is already above 100, and my face is fixed in a permanent state of heart eyes because of it. SERIOUSLY. YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST. I am just so SO happy that you guys are liking this thing so far. GAH. IF I COULD HUG AND SQUEEZE EACH ONE OF YOU I WOULD. I just... *explodes into a giant poof of glitter and hearts and unicorns***

 **Anywho, onward with the story! Hope you guys like this chapter, and I will see you guys next week! Also, in case anyone missed it, midnightwings96 updated** ** _Ruin_** **this week with quite the riveting and exciting chapter, so give it a looksie if you're a reader of that story :D love you all!**

When Summer woke up the morning following her nightmare of a wedding, she sat up in her bed and looked around the room in a state of bewilderment until she glanced down at the sparkling diamond rings on her finger. That was when it all came back to her, hitting her like a freight train as she remembered where she was.

 _Right_. She was in a bedroom the size of her entire apartment, surrounded by her belongings in boxes, in an enormous mansion literally filled with mobsters.

Stomach already twisting in knots, Summer then made a very mature decision in an instant. She was going to hide in her room all day.

She had always been a bit of a hider, from the time she was a kid and had accidentally broken one of her dad's old high school trophies after throwing a ball around the bookcase housing it, despite being told multiple times to only throw the ball outside. After the ball hit the trophy and the damage was done, she had then hid in her room for no less than four hours, refusing to even come out for dinner until both Lizzie and Michael assured her that they weren't mad and she wasn't in trouble.

Hiding was easier than facing uncomfortable or frightening situations, and while the wedding had been stressful beyond belief, at least she'd had Lizzie and Aemilia by her side to help her through it. Today it was just her, and the thought of venturing out and wandering through the mansion in search of breakfast and encountering mobsters she didn't know or even worse, her _husband_ , was enough to seal the deal for her. She was going to hide.

Besides, she had a granola bar stashed in her purse. She could live off that for a whole day, right?

Forgoing that appetizing breakfast for the moment, first she went in her bathroom and eyed the shower with slight trepidation. It was... huge, and she didn't understand why a shower would require so many knobs. After turning all of them and unwittingly splashing herself in the face with ice cold water, she finally figured it out and managed to actually take the shower.

After that, she decided to stay busy by beginning the lengthy task of unpacking the boxes filling up her room. That would _definitely_ keep her busy all day, and she fully planned on doing that and never even opening her bedroom door once.

She had unpacked all of her shoes and half of her clothes when she heard a knock at the door. Sitting on the floor in the middle of the open boxes, her head flew up and she felt dread mix with mild panic as she briefly contemplated just freezing and making no noise, maybe convincing the person knocking that she wasn't in there.

But then she realized that she wasn't actually five years old anymore and she really couldn't get away with things like that. So instead, she got up and cautiously went to the door, opening it and then feeling her shoulders slump with the relief at the sight of Aemilia.

"Oh," Summer smiled, leaning against the doorframe. "It's you."

"Yes, it's me," Aemilia smiled brightly, looking perfectly put together as always, though a little more casual than Summer had seen of her thus far, in a pair of well-fitted dark jeans and a flowy forest green top. "I haven't seen you all morning, so I thought I'd come and check on you and see if you needed anything."

"Oh, yeah, I've just been um... unpacking, and..."

Aemilia narrowed her eyes playfully and knowingly guessed, "... Hiding?"

"... Maybe," Summer shrugged, though the embarrassed flush on her cheeks gave away the truth all on its own. "I just... I don't know, I thought -"

"This is your home now, Summer," Aemilia pointed out with a small smile. "You don't have to hide in your own home. Or go hungry because you're too nervous to come downstairs and have breakfast."

"I know, I just... I don't want to see him," Summer admitted with a small shrug.

Aemilia nodded understandingly. "Well, he's occupied at the moment, so you're safe. Come on," she gestured, turning around with a smile. "Follow me. I'm sure you're starving."

"Yeah, I... kind of am," Summer chuckled, closing her door behind her and following Aemilia out into the hallway. "What's for breakfast?"

"Anything you want," Aemilia smiled back. "Though at this point, I think it qualifies as brunch instead."

... It was gonna take Summer a long time to get used to being rich.

While Michael and Lizzie had provided Summer with a comfortable upbringing and a good education, Summer had never experienced much in the way of luxury or excess. Michael's gambling habits and financial irresponsibility had kept things tighter than they had ever needed to be, and if Lizzie hadn't been the one solely in charge of her college fund, he would have squandered that too. So while she had never been poor, she had never encountered _anything_ like what her life was going to be like now.

Leading her downstairs to the dining room, Aemilia told her, "Everyone here has quite distinct tastes, so you'll find that for breakfast, our cooks make a bit of everything, sort of like a buffet. Lunch is a bit different. You can either put an order in or assemble something yourself, if you would like, but the staff doesn't like having us in their space, so they actually prefer to prepare our meals themselves. And for dinner, there's usually two options, since the men in this house tend to be unbearably picky."

Aemilia finished her sentence with a smile, and as Summer continued to follow her down the stairs, she replied, " _Wow_. So does Pizza Hut deliver all the way out here?"

Aemilia giggled. "No, but one of the cooks will gladly bake you a pizza of your choice whenever you'd like."

Summer smiled and shook her head. "This is so weird."

"I know, but you'll adjust," Aemilia assured her. "And just wait until you try the coffee."

Eyes perking up at that, Summer began to feel a little better already. She was finally out of her room and she was with Aemilia, who she only felt more and more comfortable with the more time she spent with her, and _coffee_ was in her very near future.

Like Lizzie liked to say, one step a time.

As soon as Summer and Aemilia had finally descended the stairs, the front doors of the mansion opened and Summer's eyes automatically drifted there to look. A group of four men walked through the door, all of them rather tall and hard-faced, and the one in the front immediately made eye contact with Summer. Her stomach tightened instinctively as he dropped his eyes over her rather obviously, doing nothing to hide it, and a knowing little grin - one that said _I know who you are and why you're here_ \- curled across his face just as Aemilia subtly grabbed Summer's arm and steered her directly down the hallway that led to the dining room.

"You'll want to avoid them as best as you can," Aemilia told her quietly, still holding her arm.

"Who are they?" Summer asked, still feeling uneasy from the way that the man in the front had looked at her.

"You know how Lukas and I handle the public side of the organization?" Aemilia asked, and Summer nodded. "They handle many of the less public operations."

Summer's eyes widened. "Oh. They're..."

"Not particularly pleasant men," Aemilia smiled, finally letting go of her arm as they entered the dining room. "Especially the one who looked at you."

So Aemilia had noticed that, too. "You mean the one with the Johnny Bravo hair?"

Aemilia chuckled at the remark and nodded. "Brock Rumlow. I make it a policy to avoid him as much as I possibly can."

"He looked pretty... gross," Summer replied. She'd seen men like him plenty of times before, the kind who could raise red flags with one look and made her walk a little faster down the sidewalk while reaching for the mace in her purse. It was an instinct universal among women.

"He's... well, he's been a problem for quite a few of us, including your husband," Aemilia explained. "He's ambitious. He believed that he deserved the title of Captain, so when Pierce gave the job to Bucky instead, he made it known how he felt. They have a very poor working relationship as a result. He's also hot-headed and quite honestly an enormous dick."

Summer's eyes widened a little at hearing her idol say that particular sentence, and yet with her English accent, it sounded utterly elegant. "Oh," she laughed. "Yeah, he kinda looked like one."

Aemilia nodded. "And let me tell you, dear, as difficult as your situation currently is, if Rumlow _was_ Captain and you had been married off to _him_ instead _..."_ Aemilia visibly shuddered, and Summer cringed a little in response.

"Well," she said quietly, scratching behind her neck nervously, "last night, I... my mom told me... um... basically, I didn't know what exactly he... Bucky... expected of me, so I kind of..."

"... Yes?" Aemilia gently prodded, eyes concerned as she waited for Summer to go on.

"... I didn't know if he'd force me to, um... so I just kind of... offered... myself to him, and..."

In an instant, realization dawned on Aemilia and she put a hand on Summer's shoulder as sympathy filled her eyes. "Summer, _no, no,_ my God. He's not like that. He would never force a woman. I could have told you that and put your mind at ease if you'd said something to me."

"I was too nervous," Summer frowned, wishing she _had_ spared herself all of that stress and fear, but how could she have known? "And I think I like majorly insulted him. I was crying and freaking out, and when he realized what I was doing he got mad and stormed off."

Aemilia sighed and gave Summer's arm a little squeeze. "Don't pay him any mind. He should have understood why you would expect such a thing. I know how terrifying he can be when you don't know him well."

"... You do, though?" Summer asked a bit timidly. "Know him well?"

Aemilia gave her a small smile. "He's my friend. I'm very fond of him."

Summer stared at her for a moment in confusion before holding out her arms and wondering aloud, "How does everyone here love him so much when to me he just seems literally like the human embodiment of _American Psycho?_ "

"Oh dear," Aemilia laughed a bit. "I love that film. And I can promise you that he's no Patrick Bateman. You won't find any severed heads in any of our refrigerators."

Inwardly containing her surprise that Aemilia shared her love of one of the darkest comedies in cinematic history, Summer replied, "... I mean, that's... comforting, I guess, but he even works in Mergers and Acquisitions. That _can't_ be a coincidence."

This time when Aemilia laughed, Summer laughed with her too, albeit nervously. "Trust me, he is _nothing_ like that. He is just... complicated. And he's been through _so_ much."

"Everyone keeps saying that, but nobody will tell me what happened," Summer noted.

"That's because it's a very, very long story, and you haven't even had breakfast yet," Aemilia said, gesturing to the room before them with a small smile. That was when Summer realized they'd been standing there this whole time and that the food she desperately wanted was all spread out on the table in front of her.

"Oh!" Summer laughed, taking in the vast display of goodies before her eyes. There were muffins and scones and other freshly baked goods, fruit of almost every kind, and across the room, a coffee bar containing about ten different kinds of coffee-making contraptions.

And this was all just the _leftovers_.

"Okay," Summer decided, "I am definitely getting up in time for breakfast tomorrow."

"Please do," Aemilia smiled. "Bucky rarely comes down for it anyway. It's usually myself, Lukas, Frieda, Thor, Sam, Natasha. Whoever else happens to be around that day. And we would love to have you."

Summer smiled back at her, truly believing her. For as cold as Bucky had been to her from the start, everyone else had been incredibly welcoming to her, Aemilia most of all. Without her and without the warm welcomes of the others, she couldn't even imagine how much worse the entire situation would be.

Plus, once she got a taste of the coffee that Aemilia had been raving about, she had even more reason to see potential upsides in the situation. The coffee bar was like an entire Starbucks right there in the house, and after Aemilia showed her how to operate the machine that she claimed would make the best iced latte she ever tasted, Summer was quite literally transported to coffee heaven.

With food and caffeine in her, Summer felt far more prepared to handle her first day at her new home. After she ate, Aemilia offered to take her on the _real tour_ of the manor, and Summer happily accepted. Apparently, there was quite a bit that she hadn't seen on her first tour a few months prior.

The two women chatted as they strolled throughout the mansion, Aemilia showing her various rooms and wings that never failed to leave Summer deeply impressed. There was an art room that contained millions and millions of dollars worth of rare pieces from all over the world, a music room that held every instrument imaginable and the sexiest piano that Summer had ever seen - it belonged to Lukas, Aemilia told her with a small smile - and a fully stocked gym that rendered Summer's membership at a place in town completely useless.

"Feel free to use it whenever you'd like," Aemilia told her with a smile as they moved on. "Just make sure you don't confuse it with _this_ room."

Stopped outside of a large room that looked identical to that of the gym from the outside, Summer eyed the double doors and asked, "Why? Is this the sex dungeon?"

"No," Aemilia replied, deadpan. "We keep that in the basement."

Summer paused, eyeing Aemilia silently and trying to figure out if she was serious or not. She'd been joking, but...

Finally Aemilia could no longer contain the smile she was hiding, and she burst out laughing. "I'm kidding! Oh my goodness, you should have seen your _face_ just now."

Laughing with her and flushing with mild embarrassment, Summer shrugged and said, "Well, you sounded so serious, for a minute I wasn't sure!"

"Oh dear, you are incredibly cute," Aemilia chuckled, reaching for the doors. "No, this isn't a sex dungeon. This is our training room."

"Training room?" Summer asked. "Training for wh - _oh_."

The minute the doors opened, Summer's eyes widened and she instantly understood. She also immediately felt her face start burning, and probably also a good portion of her neck too.

The room was nice and open, no furniture or unneeded trinkets littering the space. There were five people currently in the room - Natasha and Sam in the back, chatting amiably while they stretched, and right at the center of the room was Lukas, his brother Arthur - well, _Thor_ \- and, to Summer's immediate dismay, Bucky. And the the three of them were in the middle of what looked to be a rather intense mock fight.

She honestly had no idea who to ogle first.

Lukas, whom she was used to seeing in smart business suits and other classy attire, was in merely low-hanging black sweats and an almost scandalously tight gray t-shirt that showed off how perfectly sculpted his lean body was. He moved almost like a cat, working with his brother to try to take their target - Bucky - down, and it was clear how much he valued subtlety as a strategy in not only business but in _this_ as well. You'd never see him coming.

Thor, on the other hand - who was shirtless and fricking _huge_ \- was all brute force and loud, amused laughter. He was like a human battering ram, but he also seemed to find it hilarious whenever he'd take a hit, as if he could barely feel it. Maybe he _couldn't_ \- maybe the five zillion pounds of muscle rendered him indestructible.

But no matter how hard Summer tried not to look, she couldn't keep her eyes off of the man in the middle of it all. Especially once she stopped fighting it and _really_ took a good look at him.

Bucky was, if she was being honest... nothing short of a work of art. All three men were, but only one of them made her squirm. He earned that distinction with just the first flip of his free-flowing hair as he swept Lukas' legs out from under him and sent him down to the mat on his back.

Wearing sweatpants so low that they seemed to be only staying up by the grace of God, Bucky was also wearing a tight black tank top that allowed Summer to see more of his skin than she'd ever gotten to see before. He was moving so fast and so... _gracefully_ that it was hard to focus on one thing at a time. There were his shoulders, all broad and powerful, and his chest which was straining against the thin material of the tank and bigger than she had ever suspected it would be. Her eyes slowly dropped and traced over his waist, then the line of his hips and _oh man_ she'd never thought she had that much of a thing for men's thighs but _mother of God_...

Then he swung his left arm out at Thor, and her attention shifted to the limb. Unlike his right arm, which was smooth and without a single mark, his left was... different. And Summer's breath hitched because of it.

He had a tattoo, starting at his shoulder and curling down over his bicep. Even from a distance, she could see how impressive the artwork was. It was intricate and fascinating, designed to look like his skin was tearing away to reveal some kind of bionic limb underneath. Underneath the tattoo, along the rest of his arm, were faded red and white lines that littered the rest of the limb, all the way down to his wrist. They were subtle but they were there, and they looked like time-faded burn scars.

She was in the middle of openly staring when he took a blow to the face - from Lukas, who was back on his feet now - and was briefly knocked down. Summer jumped in response, the sheer force of the hit shocking her - wasn't this supposed to be just... friendly sparring?

But Bucky's feelings clearly weren't hurt. He actually grinned, easily getting back up to his feet and spitting out a small mouthful of blood, and Summer _really_ shouldn't have found that as unexpectedly hot as she did, but...

He stood, eyes on his two opponents until he noticed the two women standing in the doorway watching. His and Summer's gazes met and she felt like her heart stopped beating for a moment.

He looked surprised and a little thrown before his expression fell into the disinterested scowl that she was used to. Her heartbeat pumping loudly in her ears and face burning, she looked away only to look back up when Thor noticed their presence and smiled broadly.

"Ladies!" his deep voice boomed. "Good morning! I didn't realize we had an audience."

Summer forced a smile, and Aemilia replied, "Well, I was giving Summer a more thorough tour, and I didn't think you boys would mind."

"Certainly not," Lukas replied, giving his wife a kind of smirk that couldn't possibly be misinterpreted. "I know very well how you feel about _watching_ , darling."

Summer would have picked up on the innuendo between the couple and probably would have blushed even more had she not been pointedly ignoring the man currently staring at her. If looks could kill, Bucky would have already murdered her where she stood. She didn't know if he was still mad at her about last night or if he was over it and was merely back to hating her because she existed, but either way she felt like she'd spontaneously combust if he didn't stop staring at her.

"Do you have any experience, Summer?" Thor asked, gesturing to the room. Summer's eyes flitted up to his, and she found her voice as she smiled and shrugged.

"Well, I've taken a self-defense class before, but nothing serious," she replied. She didn't miss the way that Bucky rolled his eyes at her answer.

... Did he really have to be _that_ much of a jerk?

"Well, you're welcomed to come and join us whenever you'd like, if you'd like to learn something new," Thor smiled. Then he reached out and gave Bucky's shoulder an absentminded pat, as if expecting him to agree with that sentiment.

Bucky merely glared at Thor before seizing his arm, leaping seemingly effortlessly into the air, and then putting him in a headlock - with his thighs - and taking him down to the ground.

Summer's jaw hit the floor right alongside Thor. Aemilia rolled her eyes, sharing a look with Lukas as Thor smacked Bucky's leg and said with a strained, breathless laugh, "All right! You win! I give!"

Bucky let him go then, rolling away and getting up without a word. He sent one more glare Summer's way before turning and heading straight for Natasha, passing Sam along the way.

The pit in Summer's stomach returned. While she was now convinced that her husband was the hottest human being she'd ever laid eyes on, his contempt for her had also never been more clear, and now she also knew that he could, in fact, kill her with his pinky if he felt like it. Or his thighs. Not that it would be the worst way to go, but...

Small talk happened around her, Sam joining in the conversation and giving Thor a hand to help him up, but Summer couldn't quite look away from Bucky and Natasha. Natasha handed him a bottle of water and appeared to be asking him a question, and after taking a long drink from the bottle, Bucky rolled his eyes and hissed something back. Natasha gave him an unimpressed look and took the bottle back, taking a drink herself, and Bucky said something else. She replied with a shake of her head and a sympathetic look, followed by a touch of her hand to his arm, and Summer looked away at that point.

Casual touching and sharing drinks meant only one thing. Lizzie had been right - they were totally a thing. And Summer didn't know how to feel about that.

After they left the training room - Lukas and Thor bidding farewell as friendly as ever, while Bucky continued to glare from the corner and Natasha gave Summer an appraising but not unfriendly look - Summer suddenly had a slew of new questions to ask.

"So," Summer said as she and Aemilia headed back down the hallway, towards new places Summer hadn't seen yet, "um... Bucky and Natasha. They're, uh..."

Aemilia glanced at her and instantly understood. "They _were,_ yes _."_

Summer blew out a breath and muttered, "I'm sure they still are."

"I don't believe so, no," Aemilia replied. "You know, he's a lot more old fashioned than he seems. He may not have wanted this marriage but he _is_ married. He understands that. She does, too."

Summer didn't say anything to that. These were Aemilia's friends, and while she certainly knew them better than Summer ever expected to, she just... doubted what she was saying. Bucky hated her, and Natasha didn't know her. Neither of them had any real reason to respect Summer's position as his fake wife and stay away from each other.

Bucky was a man, after all, and if he didn't plan on getting his needs met through his wife... he'd find satisfaction elsewhere. She knew that much. He didn't seem like a man who was used to hearing the word _no_ or being denied what he wanted.

"Anyway," Aemilia said in a cheerier tone, "let's not ruin our pleasant morning. Would you like to see the indoor pool?"

Summer slowly glanced up at Aemilia and smiled. "There's an indoor pool?"

"Well, what kind of mansion would this be if there wasn't an enormous indoor pool?" Aemilia grinned.

"... Touché."

She'd decide how she felt about all of... _that_ later. For now, she figured she might as well pretend that mansion and all of the rich things within it could help make up for being married to a mob boss who hated her.

* * *

Of all the parts of the mansion that Aemilia showed Summer that morning and early afternoon, her favorite was, hands down, the library. It was bigger than some actual city libraries she had encountered - quite a bit bigger, actually - and she felt mildly like Belle from _Beauty and the Beast_ when she walked inside of the room and took in all its splendor.

Except she wasn't Belle, because her Beast didn't personally give her the library, and if he had his way, he'd have her thrown out on the street as soon as possible.

But whatever. Technicalities, she supposed.

One of the last stops on their grand tour was a lab, which gave Summer pause as soon as the word left Aemilia's mouth. She immediately imagined some kind of torture chamber or ghastly scene from a science fiction movie, but when Aemilia knocked on the door and gently led them inside, Summer was met with a much different reality.

There, in a spacious and clearly high-tech lab stocked with equipment Summer couldn't even begin to guess the names of, was Tony Stark and one of the butlers on staff. Tony was wearing protective goggles and mumbling to himself, darting around from one end of the lab to the other while the butler stood there with a fire extinguisher in his hands, bearing the expression of someone very long-suffering but resigned to their fate.

"Tony," Aemilia called out pleasantly, walking inside with Summer following, "what are you trying to blow up today?"

"So far? Just myself," Tony replied, not even looking up from a monitor he was inputting some data into. "Singed off some of my hair about an hour ago, but you know, what else is new. Right, Jarvis?"

The butler sighed. "Sir, may I be relieved from fire & rescue duty and see to my staff? I can send someone else in my place."

"Not yet. Besides, I don't trust any of those other yahoos with my life."

Jarvis glanced at Aemilia and Summer and remarked dryly, "Lucky me."

Summer smiled at him, and a moment later Tony finally looked up and noticed her presence. "Oh, look who it is. Enjoying your first day at Casa de Grumpypants?"

Summer chuckled, giving a small shrug. "So far it's... not so bad."

Tony nodded, then slid his goggles on top of his head. "So, does your mother happen to be staying here now, too? Asking for a friend."

Summer smiled and reined in the urge to shake her head. "Nope. She's still living at home. With my dad. Who she's married to."

Tony nodded again. "She plan on visiting often? Again, asking for a friend. Really, they need to get a grip, but, you know... pretty persistent friend."

"You are impossible," Aemilia chuckled.

Tony shrugged, and Summer smiled as she replied, "I'm sure she'll come by as much as she can."

"Think she'd wanna come see my lab sometime? And no, that's not a euphemism. At least I don't think it is."

"I'm sure she'd... love to see your... lab," Summer said, wrinkling her nose. Why did that sentence seem so oddly wrong?

"Anyway," Aemilia smiled, cheerfully changing the subject, "will you be joining us for dinner tonight?"

"Sure, as long as Jarvis here doesn't lose track of time and reminds me when dinner is," Tony replied.

"Sir, I _cannot_ stay here that long," Jarvis immediately protested. "I have an entire staff to manage."

Tony let out a dramatic sigh and leaned on the nearest table, muttering, "I'm gonna need to just suck it up and hire another lab assistant."

"What happened to that last one?" Aemilia asked curiously. "She seemed nice."

"Nice, yes, smart, no," Tony replied. "She was clumsy and accidentally spilled a formula that Banner had been helping me with. Spilled the whole thing on _him_. Gave him a nasty burn on his foot. Remember when I suddenly needed to buy new equipment a couple months ago? _Yeah_. Because he lost it after that and broke half our gear." Tony then looked at Summer and raised his eyebrows meaningfully. "Do _not_ get that guy angry. He _will_ destroy things and feel super guilty about it after, and apologize until you're both blue in the face."

"Doctor... Banner?" Summer asked. "I just met him yesterday. He seemed really nice. And calm."

"Usually he is. And he's a great guy too, my platonic soulmate," Tony replied nonchalantly. "But still. Breathtaking anger management issues."

"Oh," Summer replied, not sure what to say. "Okay."

"Can you please try not to scare her?" Aemilia sighed. "She has quite enough to deal with as it is."

"Yeah, can't argue that," Tony replied. "So how _was_ the big wedding night? Awkward? Weird? Did he ask you to dress up or do anything weird, because I've always thought he's secretly a kinky motherfu-"

"Oh my God," Summer interrupted with a nervous giggle. "Um... none of those things? Just... nonexistent, actually. I'm pretty sure he just wants me to get hit by a bus and that's it."

"Oh. Well, his loss," Tony said. "You seem pretty swell to me, as forced brides go."

That particular remark sounded quite genuine, so Summer smiled and said, "Well... thank you."

Tony flashed her a smile and then dropped the goggles back over his eyes. "All right, good chat. Better get going unless you want to take over for Jarvis here."

Summer eyed the rather exasperated butler and shook her head with a smile. "I'll... pass."

Jarvis sighed and readjusted his hold on the fire extinguisher. "Very well. Carry on, sir."

After that, Aemilia led her back out of the lab and they soon found themselves back where they had began earlier in the day, near the very front entrance of the manor. Summer was hungry again and ready to find out what she could get for lunch, but the portraits lining the walls stole her attention and put her hunger on the backburner.

The portrait of Lukas and Aemilia was particularly stunning, and as Summer stood before it and admired it, she couldn't help but ask, "How did the two of you get together?"

"Oh, it's quite the story," Aemilia smiled, standing next to Summer and looking up at the portrait as well. "We have one that we tell outsiders, and then there's the real story."

Summer glanced at Aemilia and lifted her eyebrows. "That sounds... ominous."

Aemilia chuckled and gave a small shrug. "No, it's just... not one that everyone can know. I grew up in England with my mother, and after I earned my degrees, she brought me here to New York with the intent of finding some rich man to marry me off to. She's... a rather complicated woman. My father had recently passed and left us with more debt than we had the means to repay. I suppose she decided the burden fell to me to marry a wealthy man who could take care of us and keep us afloat."

"Oh," Summer blinked. "I'm sorry. So is that how you met Lukas?"

Aemilia smiled a little and shook her head. "No. My mother made some... connections of her own, and she got us invited to a gala that was hosted by Pierce Consolidated. She introduced me to all of the single men that she could find that night, and she was more aggressive than those ghastly men who sell phones in malls. She talked me up to them and bragged on everything about me she possibly could, including my singing. I was goaded into getting on the stage that night and giving an impromptu performance."

"Oh!" Summer suddenly smiled. "I've heard you sing before! I mean, online. On YouTube. Um... not that I like... stalk you online or anything, but I'd seen that you sometimes sing at different events and I was curious, and _wow_ you're so, so good."

"Oh thank you," Aemilia blushed. "I love singing, I really do. If I wasn't doing _this_ , that's what I would be doing for a career. But it's more of a... hobby, I suppose. But anyway... it was rather nerve wracking, and she tried to have me sing this... sweet, submissive little song, but standing there and looking at all of those men who would only want me to be a silent doormat of a trophy wife... I just couldn't do it. I changed my song at the last minute and she was just furious with me," Aemilia laughed, recalling the memory. "But it paid off. I happened to catch Lukas' eye that night."

Summer smiled, listening intently to the story. "Oh! So it worked out, then?"

"Not right away, no," Aemilia shook her head. "Lukas was just coming out of a very difficult time in his life, and he... well, let's just say that it took him some time to figure out what it was that he wanted. We talked and grew closer, became wonderful friends, but in the meantime I became engaged to someone else. Someone who ranked a bit higher than Lukas did at the time."

Summer's eyes widened. "You... were you forced into it?"

Aemilia nodded. "I certainly didn't want it, but I wasn't in a position to say no. You know what that's like."

She frowned. She definitely did know, more than she wished she did.

"But in time, Lukas came to his senses. He was promoted to CEO when Pierce retired, and that put him near the very top of the food chain. He... took me from my fiancé and... claimed me."

Summer couldn't help but blush a little. "That sounds..."

"I know," Aemilia smirked. "And, well... you can guess the rest. You said you followed us in the media before, so I'm sure you know of our wedding and such."

"Oh yeah!" Summer smiled. "I mean, I started following you guys once you were named co-CEO, because that was just crazy and almost unheard of, especially since you're his wife. And the media went crazy for awhile and criticized you both so much, but then you guys just... proved them all so wrong. I still can't believe I actually know you now in real life and that we're actually kind of... almost..."

When it became clear what word was on the tip of Summer's tongue, Aemilia smiled and gently touched her arm. "We _are_ friends, dear. I mean it. Don't think otherwise."

Summer smiled back, a sudden lump of emotion presenting in her throat that she tried to swallow down before speaking again. "Thank you for that. And for everything. I really mean it. You've been... amazing through all of this."

"And you have been very brave," Aemilia replied. "Truly. You've impressed quite a few of us, you know."

Heart swelling at those words, Summer smiled wider before her face began to slowly fall again. "Just, uh... not my actual husband. But you know what, I... maybe that's a good thing."

Aemilia let out a small sigh. "Just... give him some time. I know how scared you are of him, but he's a man worth getting to know. If you and him could be friends someday... it would certainly be beneficial for you both."

Summer made a bit of a face, quite sure that such a thing would never happen. Glancing up at the portraits that they were still standing in front of, knowing that she herself would never grace the walls of this beautiful manor, Summer said, "Well... I'm not gonna hold my breath." She paused then, recalling how... well... _mouthwatering_ he had looked earlier in the training, and she added quietly, "I didn't know he, um... had tattoos."

"Oh yes, he does," Aemilia grinned. "He's quite beautiful, isn't he?"

" _Yeah_ ," Summer replied unthinkingly before suddenly amending, "I mean, no. Well, not _no_ , but... he's..."

"It's quite all right," Aemilia chuckled. "It's generally considered rather common to find one's husband attractive."

Face reddening beyond her control, Summer floundered for words before she finally settled on rambling, "Yeah, well, I mean... it doesn't matter because he obviously doesn't... he's not... the feeling isn't mutual."

Now it was Aemilia's turn to widen her eyes. "... You're not serious?"

Summer paused, confused. "Um..."

"You clearly haven't noticed the way that he looks at you," Aemilia noted with a knowing little smile on her face.

"... Like he wants the ground to open up and suddenly swallow me into the very depths of the underworld itself?"

Aemilia tilted her head and gave Summer a look of exasperation. "He doesn't _only_ look at you like that."

"Well... I mean..." Summer fidgeted on her feet slightly, "when I first came here and met him, he... I saw him looking at my boobs, but everybody looks at those. They're hard _not_ to see, so..."

Aemilia sighed. "Believe me, Summer, he finds you attractive. Very much so. In fact, it's probably one of the reasons why he's so determined to hate you right now."

Summer squinted. "... So he'd like me better if I looked like Steve Buscemi?"

Aemilia snorted at Summer's choice of comparison - _snorted_ \- and then said, "Well, you certainly wouldn't get under his skin as easily. Now come along," she gestured towards the kitchen once more. "I'm starving. This has been quite the lengthy tour."

"And I didn't even get to see the sex dungeon yet," Summer quipped, finally feeling at ease enough with the other woman to drop her usual brand of jokes here and there.

"Oh, don't worry," Aemilia replied lightly, playing along. "We'll get there eventually."

* * *

The morning and early afternoon gave Summer a lot to think about. After a lunch consisting of the best Caesar salad and freshly baked bread rolls she'd ever had in her life, Summer retreated to her bedroom to finish packing and mull everything over.

She called Lizzie and relayed just about every word to her - including how Tony had asked after her, which made Lizzie positively giddy and Summer nearly gag in response - and got some advice from Lizzie regarding that night's dinner.

"Don't show him anymore weakness," Lizzie told her. "Last night was... well, it is what it is, but nothing happened and that's the most important thing. Now you need to show him that you're not gonna be pushed around or walked all over. Show up to all the meals looking your best. Tell him hello and goodnight. Just... stand your ground, okay, sweetie?"

Summer had agreed, albeit halfheartedly. She'd rather hide, of course, and maybe cling to Aemilia's side like a scared little kitten afraid to venture away from its mama, but she was also well aware of how impractical and undesirable either option was. Everything was still terrifying, yes, but her fate had been sealed the day before. There was nothing left to do now but sink or swim, and she _really_ didn't want to sink.

So, when dinnertime neared, she changed her clothes and put on a dress she'd unpacked just an hour earlier. She also threw her hair up and slipped on a pair of heels, her most basic and worn pair of black pumps that went with everything, and after touching up her makeup, she decided that this was as good as she was gonna get. She wasn't sure if every dinner at the manor was a formal affair or a casual one that jeans were welcomed at, but regardless of the dress code or the lack thereof, she was at least following Lizzie's advice.

Leaving her room all by herself without needing anyone to come and drag her out of it, Summer made her way downstairs and to the dining hall without incident. The sound of her heels clicking on the floors gave her always-tenuous confidence a boost, and then when she walked into the dining area to find Bucky nowhere in sight, she felt even better.

Lukas and Aemilia were there, as was Tony and Sam and Thor. Frieda was dining out that night, apparently - Lukas explained with a somewhat tortured expression that she had a rather, ah, _exciting_ private life that he and his brother chose to ignore for the sake of their stomachs - and while guests were very common throughout the week, tonight it was just the _family_ dining.

Tony offered Summer the seat next to him, but then Thor did the same, and the two squabbled over it in a way that made Summer smile so wide even she couldn't believe it. She'd just met those people yesterday, but they were so friendly and they weren't treating her like some fragile ticking time bomb, either. It made her feel refreshingly human, and she ended up sandwiched between Tony and Thor and across from Loki and Aemilia.

The choices for dinner that night were seared pork loin and fresh grilled salmon, which for Summer meant there was only one choice. Luckily she liked salmon quite a bit, and as it turned out, it was possibly the best piece of fish she'd ever had.

It was official - the food was definitely one of the main perks to her new marriage.

"Oh my gosh," she all but moaned, setting her fork down for a moment as she took a minute to freak out. "This is so good. You guys eat like this all the time?! How are you not all like 500 pounds?"

That earned a few laughs, and Lukas replied, "Self control and discipline, darling. Which makes it all the more of a mystery why my brother is in such good health."

"Hey," Thor said around a mouthful of the pork, "you know full well how much self control I exert on a daily basis."

"Thor," Lukas blinked, "you have _both_ the salmon and the pork on your plate."

"I wanted to try both," Thor said, face the picture of innocence. "And I'm on a high protein diet."

"I'll remind you of that later, when you sample each of the desserts as well," Lukas said dryly, reaching for his glass of wine.

"Now come on, cut the guy some slack," Sam said, sitting on Thor's unoccupied side. He slapped a hand on Thor's almost inhumanly hard arm and said, "Can't get guns like these eating bird food."

"Exactly!" Thor bellowed. "You, brother, on the other hand, could use an extra thousand calories here and there."

Lukas rolled his eyes. "Oh please. I'm quite happy to be lean and fit rather than a walking steroid advertisement."

Aemilia rolled her eyes, glancing at Summer. "Here we go."

"A walking - I've never touched steroids in my life! This is all natural," Thor said, gesturing to his overall self. Then he pointed at Lukas with his fork. "Just admit it. You're jealous."

Next to Summer, Tony let out a groan and told her, "Welcome to the family, kid. This is what the rest of your dinners are all gonna be like. Pointless bickering that never ends."

"... Sounds pretty normal then," Summer answered with a small smile.

And it really was normal, to her surprise. Everyone was much looser and relaxed than they had been during Summer's first dinner there, and Summer's nerves faded away more and more as the conversations went on. She was content just to listen and chuckle at all the good natured bickering and joking happening around her, and if this was was what dinner was gonna be like here... well, this wasn't so bad.

But of course, all good things had to eventually come to an end, and this particular meal was no different. Just when Summer had finally begun to let herself relax and enjoy herself, two heads popped up in the open dining hall doorway, and her heart dropped back into her stomach when she looked up and saw them.

It was Bucky and Natasha. The minute Summer's eyes met his, Bucky stopped in his tracks and hardened his expression before turning on his heel. Natasha rolled her eyes and caught his arm before he could escape, however, muttering something to him that Summer couldn't quite hear. Bucky shook off her hand and glared at her, saying something back that clearly only further annoyed Natasha.

It took another moment or so, but Bucky finally gave in. He turned around and pointedly did _not_ look at Summer again as he walked inside the room, making a beeline for his seat at the head of the table and sitting in it without saying a word.

Well, there went Summer's surprisingly pleasant dinner.

Keeping her eyes down on her plate, Summer decided to pretend he wasn't there. But then she remembered Lizzie's advice, and she fretted over what to do for a moment. Being about three or four seats away from him, saying _hi_ would be a bit odd, so she decided to just greet him with a very, _very_ forced smile.

When he caught her looking his way, he raised his blue eyes to her own and stared blankly at her attempt at a tight smile. His brows even gave a slight furrow. She then looked away, an embarrassed flush creeping up on her face and reaching the tips of her ears.

... On second thought, maybe she shouldn't even bother.

Natasha, on the other hand, gave Summer a much more socially acceptable greeting. Summer appreciated that, although there was something about the woman that made her feel a bit uneasy. She wasn't exactly unfriendly, but there was something in her gaze that seemed calculated and sort of like she knew all of Summer's darkest secrets just from looking at her. Not that she had any particularly dark secrets, but...

"So," Aemilia said to Summer with her usual friendly, genuine smile, "how are you enjoying the manor so far?"

"Oh, um..." Summer knew what she was doing - she was trying to re-break the ice again, and while she appreciated that, she also sort of wanted to hide under the table and scream. "It's... I like it. Very much. Especially the food."

That earned a few chuckles, and Tony asked, "I'm guessing your dear ol' dad couldn't afford quite the same caliber of cooks as we do."

"Yeah, no cooks at all," Summer replied. "My mom did all the cooking. And then she started teaching me from when I was like... 12."

"Oh, you cook?" Aemilia asked with a smile.

"Yeah," Summer smiled back. "I mean, I'm not _this_ good," she gestured to the plates at the table, "but I'm okay. And I really like baking. It's like... therapy. I stress bake."

Her eyes flickered to her husband then, against her own will, and she caught him giving Natasha a weary look and rolling his eyes. It was the second time that day that he'd rolled his eyes at something she said, and regardless of how scary he was, it was starting to seriously piss her off.

"It's true, she does," Sam said, nodding to the others. "When I was staying across from her, almost every day I smelled some kind of cookies or pies or cakes baking in her apartment. Smelled like a damn bakery in there - and I mean that in a good way."

Summer blushed a little, mostly out of embarrassment, and Lukas said, "Ah, you should bake something one of these days when the mood strikes. Your husband _does_ have quite the sweet tooth. I'm sure he would enjoy whatever you can concoct."

Bucky then glared at Lukas as if he had just personally betrayed him. Lukas merely grinned and took a drink of his wine, and Aemilia added, "Oh yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea!"

Summer wanted to rip out her hair and fashion a noose out of it. Instead, she smiled and snuck another nervous glance at Bucky, who was now glaring at his own plate with such force that he had most likely killed his own piece of salmon all over again with the power of his brooding.

His hair was pulled back in a messy knot, and she could see the little wisps of gray at the sides better than usual. Without his hair obscuring his face, she couldn't help but take note of his sharp and defined features from his eyes to his cheekbones to his jawline. He was... _good God,_ he was...

He looked up and caught her staring. She visibly jumped a little before looking away. He clenched his jaw and then tossed his napkin down on the table, getting up and leaving without a word.

Summer looked up and watched him go in mild shock. What the _hell_? She hadn't done anything to him. All she was doing was looking at him, probably for just a matter of seconds.

After he walked away, she remembered how he had rolled his eyes at her twice that day for no reason, and she felt herself getting mad all over again. Yes, this situation was far from ideal, but she had never been anything but polite to him, even when he scared the living crap out of her.

With a sudden burst of courage, she quietly excused herself from the table. Aemilia looked a bit alarmed, but Lukas stopped her from saying anything as Summer followed her husband out into the hallway.

"Excuse me," she said as soon as she caught sight of his retreating figure, "but did I do something wrong? What is your _problem_?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she couldn't believe she had actually spoken them. The feeling appeared to be mutual, as he came to a halt and slowly turned around to glare at her.

She suddenly wanted to shrink away and run, but it was too late for that now. She stood her ground and waited for an answer.

He didn't give her one. Instead he turned around and started walking again. And that made her more angry than she would have been had he cursed at her and told her to leave him alone.

"Oh my God," she said, following him again, "can you _please_ talk to me? This is ridiculous! I know you hate me but we're... you're kind of stuck with me, so can we at least just be -"

He stopped again, this time turning around and hissing, "Leave me the fuck alone."

 _That_ was more of what she had been initially expecting. His words still felt like a slap in the face, even though she fully anticipated the hostility in his tone. "Why?" she asked, her voice coming out smaller than she intended. "Am I that bad that you can't even sit down and have dinner in the same room as me?"

He paused for just a second or two, clenching his jaw and muttering, "I don't want you here. And you don't want to be here. There's no point in playing nice when we both hate this."

She knew that it was silly, but after being so wholly welcomed into the manor by literally everyone else, hearing the words _I don't want you here_ from the man she'd been forced to marry only the day before took the wind right out of her sails.

"But I'm... I _am_ here," she said quietly, wishing that her voice sounded stronger and firmer than it did. "Can't we just... tolerate each other?"

For a moment, she thought that maybe he was considering those words. His expression grew a little less severe, but then he proved her wrong by muttering, "I shouldn't _have_ to tolerate you."

Then he turned around again, and this time she let him go. She wished that she had let him go to begin with.

His words weighing more heavily on her than she would ever acknowledge, Summer took a deep breath and headed back into the dining room, plastering a smile on her face and acting like nothing had happened. He might have gotten to her, but damn if she was gonna let that show to anyone.

Back to plan A, she supposed - avoiding her husband like he was the plague itself.

* * *

Later that night, as Bucky sat reading silently in the comfort and sanctuary of his own room, he was disturbed by a knock on the door. He sighed and prepared to tell whoever it was to go to hell, but then the door opened slightly and a familiar feminine voice asked, "Are you clothed?"

He dropped the book next to him and moved to stand up from the bed he'd been lounging on. "Unfortunately."

"Oh good," Aemilia said with a small smile, fully opening the door and walking inside with two large, warm mugs in her hands. She shut the door with her foot and added, "One can never be too sure with you."

Bucky eyed the woman wearily, looking at the cups in her hands and knowing what was in them without having to ask. "I'm not really in the mood."

"Of course you aren't," she said, sitting down next to him on the side of the bed and handing him a mug anyway. "You're not in the mood for anything lately, are you? What with all the brooding and sulking taking all of your energy."

Bucky gave her a half-hearted glare. He never could quite muster up a true, hostile glare for her, even when he genuinely tried.

"Go on, drink it," she said, nodding towards the mug in his hand. "Don't make all my hard work go to waste. That would be rude."

He almost smiled - almost - and glanced down at the hot chocolate before doing as she said and bringing it to his lips. It wasn't just any hot chocolate. It was Aemilia's specialty, something she mixed from scratch and talked him into trying a few years before. She swore that it would be the best hot chocolate he'd ever tasted, and to his surprise, it actually was. It contained extra chocolate, melted from chunks that she cut up and sprinkled in, as well as spices and marshmallows and her secret ingredient - the strongest cinnamon whiskey on the market. Just a splash, enough to elevate all the flavors and give it a true kick.

Now she made it for him every week, no matter how much he pretended he didn't want it. He always wanted it. In fact, he would have gladly drank it every night if she so chose.

His first drink turned into a second, and then a third. Aemilia watched him with a small smile, teasing him, "Not in the mood, huh?"

"Shut up," he muttered, but there was no hostility there. Just a hint of affection that made her smile and shake her head slightly. Then he glanced up at her and said, "If you're here to lecture me..."

"I'm not," she replied. "Though maybe I should. You wouldn't assume that's why I was here unless you felt you deserved it."

He shrugged, using the cinnamon stick in the mug to stir the drink. "Doesn't matter."

"Does anything matter to you anymore?" Aemilia asked gently. "Because I've never seen you treat a woman so badly before, and you are certainly not acting like the man I know."

Bucky kept staring at the drink, features pinching a little before he muttered, "She thought I was gonna force her. Last night, when we came back here. She just... assumed I was gonna..." he paused and gave a small shake of his head. "She thinks I'm a monster. Might as well act like one."

Aemilia stared at him, wholly unimpressed. "Well, that might be the least intelligent thing I've ever heard you say."

"I don't wanna talk about it," Bucky murmured in reply, taking another drink for emphasis.

She ignored him. "Put yourself in her shoes for a moment. Of course she's scared of you. You've given her no reason to _not_ be scared of you. Any woman in her position would fear what she feared. But look at how brave she is. You have to at _least_ respect her for that."

"I don't owe her anything," he shrugged. "And she doesn't owe me anything. If she'd just... keep her distance and I keep mine..."

"You know," Aemilia interrupted, "she's not exactly a horror to be around. I quite like her. If you gave her a chance, you might even like her too."

Bucky looked up at his friend and muttered, "You _know_ why that's not gonna happen."

"I don't mean it like that," Aemilia told him. "I mean you could be friends. There's no reason why you shouldn't at least try. And there is _no_ excuse for treating her as poorly as you have been."

Bucky looked back down at his drink, looking so incredibly tired and _older_ than he really was. It wasn't just the gray hair or the faint lines around his eyes. It was the weight that he carried on his shoulders, the ghosts in his eyes that never let him have a moment's peace. Aemilia could see it all in moments like these, and it pained her to see him like that. Unlike Loki, she hadn't known Bucky before... well, _before_ , but sometimes she caught glimpses of the man that he must have been before life had taken him and twisted him into something terrifying.

"But you already know that," Aemilia said, gently putting a hand on his forearm. "Because you're _not_ a monster. And you're not without a conscience, as much as you might wish you were."

Bucky didn't say anything to that. Instead he stared for a moment before raising his mug to his lips only to frown and look inside of it. "I drank it all."

He said it so sadly, like a child who had just dropped their ice cream cone on the pavement, and Aemilia couldn't help but smile as she took the mug from him. "I'll get you a refill. On one condition."

He eyed her cautiously. "What?"

"Make an effort to at least be polite to her," Aemilia said quietly. "Don't act like a petulant child and roll your eyes at her or storm out of meals just because she's there."

He frowned and considered stomping his feet and whining for a moment, but in the end he gave in and grumbled, "Fine."

"Good," she said, standing up. "I'm going to hold you to that. Vows made over my special hot chocolate are serious business. You know that."

He gave her that almost-smile again, and then he murmured a quiet and undeniably sincere, "Thanks, Mia."

Smiling at his nickname for her - he was the only one she'd let get away with it, and he knew it - she replied, "You're welcome, Bucky." Then she turned and made her way out of his room, keeping her word to get him his refill of her specialty.

Once she left, the room felt a little colder. That was the way it always was whenever once of his friends left him to his own company. Lukas, Steve, Aemilia - the minute anyone of them left him alone, it was like the fog descended once more and he was lost to it. Lost to so very many things, both past and present, that he couldn't control or hope to change.

But he was used to the cold. It was his closest companion at this stage of his life, and it kept him company when nothing and nobody else did. That, just like so many other things, would never change. He was sure of it.

But for then, the company of a close friend and her unbelievably delicious hot chocolate was enough to chase away the cold for a little while. And that was enough, because it _had_ to be.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: hey everyone! It's that time of the week again, and as always, I hope you guys enjoy this latest chapter :D a part of this was co-written by midnightwings96 who helped me out HUGELY when I literally could NOT go back and edit a particular the way that I needed to without losing my mind and flinging myself out a window, so EXTRA MEGA thanks to her for stepping in and making my life easier by adding an extra part of a scene and greatly improving the finished product. My eternal thanks to you guys as well for continuing to make me giddy with joy with your response to this story, and I'm telling ya, it's only getting started. SO MUCH is coming up in future chapters and I am super excited, so without further ado, I love you guys and hope you enjoy! Your reviews & support make my day! :D **

Summer's fourth night at the manor was an eventful one. Not only was it the one prior to her first day at her new job, but it was a rather blissfully peaceful one until dinnertime rolled around.

Bucky was gone, and he had been gone for the last day or so, doing whatever it was Bratva Captains did. She didn't ask questions because she didn't want to know. Instead, she enjoyed the day with the people who were gradually becoming her friends, eventually enjoying the best dinner she'd had there to date. Aemilia and Lukas were there, Thor and Tony and Sam too, and Frieda was also there that night. Summer's pre-first day at work nerves faded in their company, somehow, and she was having a great time until Jarvis interrupted the dinner with a message for her.

"Mrs. Barnes," he said, standing in the dining hall doorway, and it took Summer a moment to remember that _she_ was Mrs. Barnes. "You have a guest."

... She had a guest? Slowly dropping her silverware and nodding, Summer got to her feet and wondered who the heck could possibly be visiting her at the manor. As she made her way to the entrance, she took unpleasant stock of her lack of friends in her life - a result of her singular focus on her work and eduction and lack of social skills - and when Aemilia automatically began to follow her, she didn't question it. Sam deciding to tag along took her a bit more by surprise, but he _was_ her bodyguard, after all. And he was slowly becoming one of her favorite people in the whole building.

Once she made it to the foyer, she stopped in her tracks as soon as she saw who her "guest" was. " _Mom_?"

Standing there in front of the now-closed doors, a suitcase handle in each hand and wearing one of her signature short, body hugging dresses and high heels, Lizzie flashed Summer a nervous smile and said, "I really hope you guys have room for one more here because I _might_ have filed for divorce today and walked out on your father."

Summer's eyes nearly fell out of her skull. "You did _what_?"

Lizzie's nervous smile strained but remained on her face. "It's not really _that_ surprising, is it? He sold my little girl to the mob. It was kinda the last straw." Her eyes flickered to Aemilia and she quickly added, "No offense."

"Oh, none taken," Aemilia smiled pleasantly, turning to Jarvis, who had been by their side all along. "Can you please prepare a room for our new guest?"

"Of course, Ma'am," Jarvis replied, quickly moving to take Lizzie's bags for her and taking them upstairs to where her new room awaited her.

Meanwhile, Summer blinked and stared at her mother. It wasn't _really_ a shock, truly, but... "You really filed for divorce?"

"Served him the papers just a few hours ago," Lizzie said, sighing and walking a little closer. "I'm sorry, honey. I didn't want to call or text you and tell you that way. I wanted to tell you in person, but I didn't get a chance until it was already done."

"Is... what did Dad say?" Summer asked.

"Well, I think he was expecting it because he didn't seem all that shocked, but... he did a lot of begging and... yeah, it wasn't easy. But it was the right thing to do. For us both. Honestly I think I should have done it a long time ago."

Knowing she was right, Summer let out a sigh and stepped forward to pull Lizzie into a hug. That was when Tony came around the corner, curious as to what was going on.

"Oh, _you're_ the guest," he said brightly. "Good deal. I was wondering when I was gonna see that blonde head of yours again."

Summer then pulled away from the hug, trying not to make a face, and Lizzie said, "Well, you're gonna be seeing a lot of more of me from now on."

All it took was a quick scan of Lizzie's empty ring finger for Tony to deduce what happened. "Oh look at that. Is today D-Day?"

"It is," Lizzie confirmed.

Tony paused. "... Would it be insensitive of me to say congratulations?"

Aemilia sighed, and Sam chuckled under his breath. Lizzie merely shrugged and said, "Probably. But I'll let it slide, 'cause you're cute."

Summer's eyes flew open as Tony shot Lizzie a grin. " _Mom_."

" _What_?"

Before Summer could ask Lizzie to please refrain from flirting with her not so secret admirer before the ink was even dry on the divorce petition, the doors opened and her gaze automatically shifted there. Then she felt her stomach perform a not entirely pleasant flip at the sight of Bucky walking inside, dressed in leather and hair perfectly windswept as he talked into a phone pressed to his ear.

He glanced their way, taking note of the small group standing in the foyer and continuing to speak to whoever was on the other line. Summer realized that he was speaking Russian just before his eyes met hers. She felt that familiar jolt of anxiety and slight fear and _something_ else she couldn't define until he looked away, walking up the stairs and disappearing down the hallways.

"Well," Lizzie said once he was gone, "he seems as warm as ever."

"The warmest," Summer said through a humorless smile.

"Are you hungry?" Aemilia asked Lizzie. "You're welcomed to join us for dinner."

"Oh, that would be amazing," Lizzie said gratefully. "I haven't eaten anything all day."

As the small group followed Aemilia back towards the dining room, Lizzie turned to Summer and asked quietly, "Are you okay with this? I know it was sudden and I just sprang it on you, but -"

"No, it's not sudden," Summer assured her. "You guys have never really been... happy. Not since I was little, so... I'm fine with it, really. I just want you to be happy. You deserve it."

Lizzie smiled and put an arm around Summer's shoulders, giving her a quick squeeze. "Thanks, pumpkin. And I still love your dad, you know. We just..."

"Haven't been in love for years," Summer finished for her. "I know. Trust me, I always knew this was gonna happen eventually."

Lizzie nodded, pausing before adding, "I just hope your mama wouldn't be mad at me for leaving him all alone. I hope he doesn't do anything stupid without me there to rein him in."

"... He probably will," Summer said a bit sadly. "He's Dad. It's what he does. But... I'll call him after dinner and check on him."

Lizzie nodded as they stepped into the dining room. "Okay."

They both paused as Tony pulled out a chair at the table next to his own and then looked at Lizzie. "For you, my lady?"

Summer would have rolled her eyes if not for her award-winning self restraint. Lizzie, on the other hand, smiled and gave Tony her thanks before taking the seat, flashing him a smile that Summer had seen her give many an attractive single man in the past.

She shook her head and took her own seat again, a little worried and still a little surprised but mostly relieved. The divorce had been a long time coming, and while it was certainly a complicated situation and not truly a cause for celebration, it was for the best. She could already tell how much lighter Lizzie seemed, as if she had finally cast off a burden that she had been carrying the weight of for far too long, and that alone made it more than worth it.

She deserved to be happy. Summer was pretty sure that she did too, but unfortunately for her, divorce wasn't quite an option.

* * *

The next morning, Summer's alarm on her phone blared in her ear and made her wake with a bewildered start. She fumbled blindly with the phone, managing to make the horrid sound stop after a few seconds, and then she sat up and blinked slowly as she tried to remember why the heck she was awake at such an ungodly hour.

She couldn't remember for the life of her until her eyes fell on the dress that was hanging on her closet door. She'd picked it out the night before so she wouldn't have to worry about what to wear on her first day at the new job before she'd even had coffee.

 _First day at the new job_. Stumbling out of bed with a somewhat high pitched whimper, Summer's anxiety kicked into full gear and she began the rather chaotic task of getting ready for the day. While she'd done a good job of not overly stressing about the new job over the last week, being too busy freaking out about other things to put much emphasis on _that_ , now that the day was here she felt vaguely like throwing up.

But this wasn't her first-ever day at a new job and hardly the most stressful thing she'd ever experienced. She had just married a high-ranking monster and integrated herself into the home he shared with other Bratva members, and if she could do _that_ , she could definitely rock her first day at Pierce Consolidated.

That's what she told herself so she wouldn't hurl, anyway. And once she was showered, dressed, and fully put together, she grabbed her phone and her purse and hurried out of her bedroom with the intent of running downstairs to eat the world's fastest breakfast.

But when she opened her door, she found Sam on the other side, who had been just about to knock. He had a cup of coffee in one hand and a small paper bag in the other, and he grinned, "Ready to go, Marshmallow?"

"Yeah," she nodded, taking the coffee with surprise when he handed it to her. "These are for me?"

"I figured you could use a hand this morning," he shrugged. "And I grabbed a little bit of everything and shoved it in here," he shook the paper bag, "so you could eat on the way."

"You're coming with me?" she asked, taking the items and stepping out of her room, closing the door behind her.

"Hell yeah I'm coming with you," he replied with an amused smile. "Bodyguard, remember?"

"Oh yeah," she smiled. "I just thought... I don't know what I thought, actually. I'm just nervous."

"I didn't notice," Sam remarked dryly, still wearing that disarmingly friendly grin of his.

She flushed a little and then glanced down at herself before asking, "Do I look okay? Professional? I don't look like a brainless trophy wife, do I?"

"Not at all," he assured her, giving her a quick once over. "You look good."

A small flurry of movement caught Summer's peripheral vision, and she and Sam both glanced to their left down the hall to find Bucky heading towards the staircase from his room. He glanced at them, his blank stare becoming a bit of a glare before he looked away and continued on his way.

Summer swallowed hard. "Now I feel even better."

Sam chuckled and gave her arm a pat. "Come on, let's get going. Don't wanna be late on your first day."

Indeed she didn't. She took a deep breath and followed him down the stairs and out the main entrance, where a car was waiting to take them to Summer's first day at her new and possibly career-making job.

As the driver took them into the city, Summer picked at a few of pastries Sam had grabbed for her and decided to make conversation with her bodyguard so she wouldn't lose her mind and spend the whole ride silently freaking out.

"So," Summer said, and Sam's eyes moved up from his phone to her. "You don't have to answer this if you don't want to, but I was just wondering..."

"How did I end up working for the damn Russian mob?" Sam guessed with a grin. "I was wondering when you were gonna work up the nerve to ask me that."

"Oh, well I... you just... you're so... _normal_ and _nice_. I just..."

"Yeah, I get that a lot," he teased. "Well, it wasn't like I woke up one day and decided I wanted to work for criminals. I was in the Army, paid my dues, came home and got a gig working security for Alexander Pierce. He liked me and wanted to bring me in to the fold."

"And you said yes?"

Sam chuckled. "He's not exactly the kind of man you say no to. But I can't complain. I told him I wasn't gonna do his dirty work, and he's never once asked me to. I just protect the people he needs me to protect."

"Like me," Summer smiled a little uneasily.

"Like you," Sam confirmed.

Summer paused, chewing on her lip before asking, "Am I really... a target? Like, say I need to go to the store and buy something. Do you _really_ have to come with me?"

Sam sighed quietly. "Look, I don't wanna scare you or anything. But yeah. We've got a lot of enemies. Especially your husband. He's got quite the reputation and there's a lot of people who would love to find a weakness in the Winter Soldier."

She furrowed her brows. "The what?"

"The Winter Soldier," Sam repeated. "It's his codename."

"... You guys all have codenames?" Summer asked, having had no idea about this beforehand.

"Most of us do," Sam confirmed.

"... Why is he the Winter Soldier?" Summer asked, not sure that she really wanted to know the answer.

"Because he's cold as ice," Sam joked. "Nah, Pierce gave him that name because he's always been his most loyal 'soldier'. Back during the Revolutionary War all these 'summertime soldiers' deserted the army at Valley Forge when the winter got rough, but the 'winter soldiers' stayed and toughed it out, won the war because of it. And that's how Pierce sees him. He'll do all the shit nobody else wants to do or even _can_ do. That's who he is. And that's why he's got so many enemies."

Blinking and absorbing that information - and the brief history lesson - Summer took a deep breath and surmised, "So what you're telling me is I'm married to the most brutal killer of the whole organization."

Sam only hesitated for a moment. "Well... yeah."

Summer sighed and leaned her head back against the leather seat. "Fantastic."

"Sorry," Sam replied. "Didn't wanna sugarcoat it for you."

Summer glanced out the window and mused, "Well, maybe one of these days he'll just throw me out a window and put us both of our misery."

She was surprised when Sam laughed at that. "He ain't gonna do that."

Summer laughed humorlessly and eyed him skeptically. "You sure about that?"

"Yeah, actually," Sam nodded. "As cold as he is, he does what he does to protect what's his. And that includes you now."

Summer couldn't quite find any words to answer _that_ with. She started chewing on her lip again, and the next time she glanced out the window, she realized that they had arrived and were now in the underground parking garage below the skyscraper with Pierce's name plastered on it.

It was time to stop thinking about her terrifying husband and focus her energy back on the task at hand - getting through her first day at work without embarrassing herself.

Sam ushered Summer into the building, taking her into the elevator in the parking garage and punching in the very top floor number. She took a few steadying breaths and watched as the numbers ticked by, taking her closer and closer to the top of the building, anxiety bubbling ever more unpleasantly in her stomach the further she went.

Then the elevator came to a halt, made a soft dinging noise, and opened up. And then Sam shot her a smile and told her to follow him.

Pierce Consolidated was not a new corporation, but it was one that boasted not only sky-high profits but eye-catching interior and exterior designs. It was simple in a modern way, all high glass doors and walls that gave a very clean impression while making sure their visitors knew that they were standing on _very_ important floors. It was _much_ different from Summer's father's company, and she couldn't say that those first few steps inside the place weren't intimidating.

The top floor was bustling, to say the least. Summer followed Sam through a few different hallways, rows of cubicles, and countless offices. Nobody paid her much mind, all of the employees too busy working to notice her or Sam, and that alone was a relief.

Then they rounded a corner that took them to the two most important offices in the whole building. Just outside of them, talking to a handful of assistants was Lukas and Aemilia. They were both dressed in their best professional attire, of course, looking like the unbelievably attractive power couple that they were. Aemilia was in a knee-length curve-hugging white dress with a colorful and floral print on the skirt, a little open peekaboo section on her chest that was sexy while still being professional, and a pair of high magenta heels finished off the look. Lukas was in one of his countless smart, immaculately tailored suits - this one was silver - and he was in the middle of saying something that made both his wife and their assistants start laughing.

 _Sigh_. How perfect could one couple get before the world simply imploded?

Aemilia noticed Summer's arrival first. Turning around and flashing her a smile, she greeted, "Oh good, you're here! And early, too. That's good."

Summer smiled and came to a halt in front of her. "Well, I was terrified of being late, so..."

Aemilia smiled. "Well, now you can relax a bit. Are you ready for your first day?"

Summer plastered a smile on her face and replied, "Absolutely."

Aemilia, knowing Summer quite well enough by now to know when she was extremely anxious, gave her a knowing smile and said, "Good. Don't worry, we'll get you settled in and on your way."

And the thing was, Summer believed her. While she was still nervous, just Aemilia's presence put her a bit more at ease and helped to shift things into perspective. As nerve wracking as it all was, this was an incredible career opportunity and a huge step up from being her father's apprentice. She was standing near the top of a damn skyscraper and working with two CEOs whom she couldn't possibly admire more, and she had the chance to show them just how serious and capable of a businesswoman that she was.

After Sam left Summer in Aemilia's hands, heading off towards the floor that his own office was on - he _was_ a high ranking security officer, after all - Aemilia took Summer on a brief tour of the floor and explained how things were going to work.

"This is where Lukas and I spend most of our lives," Aemilia said with a chuckle. "Our offices are connected and our staffs work very closely together. He handles the global operations and I handle the domestic side. Since you will mostly be working on the domestic side as well, you will be shadowing me while you get settled in and get a feel for the company."

"Awesome," Summer smiled, nerves slowly falling by the wayside the more time she spent with Aemilia. "So is my office close to yours?"

"That's where we're going now," Aemilia smiled, leading her down another hallway. "Your team is already there and waiting to meet you."

"My team," Summer repeated, taking a deep breath. "Right. I get a team now."

Aemilia smiled. "Don't worry, they're all lovely. And they've been in place for some time, so they know what they're doing and will be more than happy to help get you up to speed."

 _Well_ , that was comforting, at least. Summer _was_ confident that once she got a full handle on her duties, she'd have no problem doing her job to the best of her abilities.

Then they approached another set of offices. Aemilia opened the clear glass doors and let Summer step inside first, and the four people working within it all stopped and looked up as their new boss walked in.

One of them, a _very_ attractive Spanish man who looked to be in his lower 30s, came all but bounding up to the two women with a broad smile on his face. "Ah, finally! This must be the new Boss Lady."

"Indeed it is," Aemilia smiled. "Summer, this is Esteban, your executive assistant. You two are going to be seeing a lot of each other from here on out."

"Hi," Summer smiled, shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Oh, trust me, I am even happier to meet you," Esteban said with an exaggeratedly weary sigh. "You don't even want to _know_ the mess the last director left behind. It's _outrageous_."

"It's true," Aemilia nodded to her with a frown. "Esteban has been running the office on his own for the last few months."

"But finally, my savior has come," Esteban smiled at Summer, who instantly wanted to panic at the thought of being thought as such. "Oh, and look at you! You look as nice as you did on your wedding day. I was there, by the way, I just never got a chance to introduce myself."

"Give her some room to breathe, dude," one of the other team members said, patting Esteban on the back after coming to stand beside him. Petite with glasses on her face that she pushed up the bridge of her nose, she then added, "I'm Darcy."

"Hi," Summer smiled, shaking her hand and then glancing towards the other two folks she hadn't met yet, who were both on the phone and behind the same desk.

"That's Wanda and Nicolo," Darcy said, gesturing towards them. "They're cool. They're the quiet ones."

"That's what you _think_ , honey," Esteban replied with a waggle of his eyebrows. Then he glanced at Summer and explained, "Nic is my husband."

"Oh!" Summer smiled. This was already the most interesting office she'd ever worked in. "How long have you two been married?"

"Since about five days after it became legal," Esteban grinned. "It was scandalous. Two event planners eloping."

"I've still not forgiven you two for that," Aemilia chided him with a smile.

Esteban waved a hand and shrugged. "We'll have a ceremony someday. Though it won't be nearly as grand as yours," Esteban said, gaze flickering to Summer. "Seriously, that was a wedding fit for a _queen_."

Summer couldn't help the pinched smile that she answered with, rather than the relaxed one she'd been aiming for. "Yeah, it was definitely... extravagant."

Sensing the conversation veering towards the awkward side, Aemilia steered it back and said, "Well, there is much to be done, so I suggest everybody get back to work. Esteban, help her with any problems she might have learning the system, and - oh! I forgot. I have a few books in my office to give you, Summer. She'll be right back," Aemilia smiled to the others before exiting the office with Summer in tow.

"Books?" Summer asked.

"Yes, company policies and such, nothing too exciting but I have to make sure they end up in your hands," Aemilia shrugged.

Soon enough they made it back to Aemilia's office, and just outside of it, Lukas was apparently in the midst of scolding one of their employees. Summer didn't want to gawk or eavesdrop but she found the scene rather impossible to look away from once they were close enough to hear what he was saying.

"... But this isn't merely a _mistake_ , is it? Mistakes I can forgive, but misplacing _$50,000_ is complete and utter incompetence, so don't _tell_ me you simply made a mistake. Don't insult my intelligence."

"I - but sir, I -"

"And don't give me anymore of your pathetic excuses either. You have the rest of the day to fix this, and if you don't, I will not only have your job but I will also make sure you're never employed by any company again."

And with that, the man was dismissed. He hurried towards the elevator, pale and stricken, and Lukas turned around to find Aemilia and Summer standing there. "Ah, hello, darling," he said, irritated scowl immediately replaced with a pleasant smile upon seeing his wife's face. Summer gulped a little bit, experiencing a bit of second-hand terror after seeing Lukas in action.

"Was that really necessary?" Aemilia asked with a little smile, and Summer flailed a little inside as they shared a sweet little kiss. They were so incredibly intimidating and yet so ridiculously adorable that it was insane.

"Absolutely," Lukas said after pulling away. "If I'm not mistaken, you've also had problems with that same particular accountant."

"Yes I have," Aemilia sighed, turning towards her door and opening it. "I do hope that he finds the money, for his own sake."

Lukas scoffed. "Highly doubtful." Then he smiled at Summer as she turned to follow Aemilia and asked, "Enjoying your first day?"

"Oh yeah," Summer smiled back, pausing in the doorway. "I think I'm gonna like this place."

"Oh, I have no doubt," Lukas said, offering her a grin. "Just don't let my wife work you too hard."

Aemilia scoffed with an affectionate twinkle in her eye. "Oh please."

Lukas chuckled and bade the ladies farewell, heading into his own office to get a conference call started, and as Summer followed Aemilia into her office she realized something that surprised her. Despite how anxious she had been less than just half an hour before, her nerves had now all but dissipated.

She could do this. She had a support system that she previously wouldn't have thought possible, and she knew she had the skills and commitment to do her job and do it well. So much of her own control over life had been taken away from her, but maybe - just maybe - this was one area where she could take it back.

* * *

Over the next week, the days flew by in a mostly pleasantly busy haze. Instead of sitting around the manor all day doing her best to avoid her husband, Summer immersed herself in her new job and worked as hard as she could to quickly learn the ropes. She soaked it all up like a sponge, using Esteban's help to tackle her first assignment, which was a charitable event that the company was sponsoring along with a handful of others. It was a great learning experience, giving her a very clear taste of what her job would require of her, and she found that she didn't mind the work at all. Given time and a deeper comfort level with it all, she was sure that she'd end up actually enjoying it quite a bit.

It was good to be working again. It provided her with a welcome distraction from the less pleasant aspects of life, such as her father and his rather fragile frame of mind following Lizzie's filing for divorce. He had apparently fallen into a deep depression as a result, and while Summer made time to call him every day and check on him, she could tell that he wasn't doing well at all. While Lizzie was relieved and already smiling more now that she was free of him, Michael was increasingly despondent and, more than once that week, drunk by 8 PM when Summer would call him.

She didn't know how to help him. He'd lost everything good in his life due to his own actions, and she could only hope that in time he'd pick up the pieces and learn from it all and be a better man. At the same time, she wasn't holding her breath.

Once the end of the week arrived and Summer and Aemilia were leaving the office late Friday afternoon, Aemilia suggested that they go out and have a girl's night in celebration of her first successful week on the job. Summer, flailing inside at being invited to such a thing by a woman who she was still more than a little starstruck by, accepted immediately and was instantly filled with an uncontainable amount of excitement. This was gonna be _great_.

After making their plans, both girls went home to the manor, ate dinner fairly quickly, and then began getting ready for their night on the town. Summer was giddy and ready to drink until every last bit of her stress melted away, and to make things even better, she hadn't seen Bucky in a whole two days. Either he was especially busy that week or she was getting better at avoiding him, and she didn't care which was the case because _she was getting drunk tonight -_ with her idol, no less.

She was so excited, in fact, that she forgot all about a certain little problem she'd been meaning to ask someone about until the very moment Aemilia had appeared at her door fixed up and ready to go.

And she was _really_ fixed up. Her long auburn curls were smooth and immaculate, and she was wearing a jumpsuit that put all others to shame. It was black and fit her like it had been _made_ for her, clinging to her body like a second skin. The top was a sheer halter with black lace detailing providing just enough coverage to not be indecent and little enough to be incredibly sexy. Vibrant strappy red heels finished the look off, and _man_ was it a good look.

"Ready to go?" Aemilia asked with a bright smile.

"Yes!" Summer exclaimed, looking her over with unabashedly wide eyes. "And I am suddenly very, _very_ gay."

Aemilia laughed. "You're adorable. Come on, let's go. I am dying to get out of here."

Summer giggled excitedly and rushed to go grab her purse, only to immediately let her face fall as she remembered a certain issue with funds that she had been having.

 _Ah, crap_.

"Oh man," Summer groaned, purse in hand as she began to trudge back to the door to join Aemilia there.

"What's wrong?"

"Um, well... this is kind of... embarrassing, but..."

Aemilia's eyes widened slightly in confusion. "What?"

 _Ugh_. "I'm kind of... broke?"

Aemilia blinked. "What do you mean you're broke?"

"Well, it's just that my dad didn't pay me a whole lot, and I was out of a job this last month, and... um... yeah, so until I get my first paycheck..."

Aemilia blinked again. "Darling, you _can't_ be broke. You're married to a very rich man. Are you telling me that he hasn't given you a card yet?"

Now it was Summer's turn to blink. "A card?"

Aemilia rolled her eyes in frustration and turned around, marching out of her room and grumbling under her breath. Summer widened her eyes and started to follow her, then stopped short when she realized she was marching to Bucky's room.

Summer stood there in the hallway and listened carefully as Aemilia banged on his door. She had to knock a few times before there was an answer, and once there was, Summer crept closer so she could hear more clearly.

" _Why haven't you given your wife access to your account yet?"_

 _"What?"_

 _"Your wife, Bucky. She needs money."_

 _"Isn't that what her job's for?"_

Summer rolled her eyes.

" _I'm going to pretend that you didn't just say that. Give me a card so that I can give it to her."_

 _"What's she need it for?"_

 _"Bucky, it's your_ wife _. Give me a card or I will give you a lifetime ban from my hot chocolate."_

... Hot chocolate? Whatever that meant, it was obviously effective because only a few moments later, the door slammed shut and Summer hurried back into her room so that it wouldn't be so obvious that she'd been eavesdropping. Then Aemilia walked back through her door, tiny piece of plastic in hand and a triumphant smile on her face.

"Here," she said, handing the bank card to Summer. "I'm sorry he's been such a prick. I had no idea you didn't have access to your share of funds yet."

"Thank you," Summer smiled quietly, stashing the card in her wallet. "Honestly, I didn't really think I _would_ get access."

"Well, that's preposterous. You're married," Aemilia pointed out. "The least he can do is let you spend to your heart's content."

Now _that_ was an idea. As Summer thought that over, Aemilia gave her a once-over and asked, "Are you sure that's what you want to wear?"

Summer froze and looked down at herself. "... Yeah?"

"Isn't that what you wore to work Wednesday?"

Summer flushed with slight embarrassment. "Oh, I mean... yeah, but I thought..."

"It's a lovely dress, but... I don't know. I imagined you in something a bit more daring."

Summer's eyes widened and she laughed nervously. "Daring? Oh God. I don't really... do... daring."

Aemilia tossed her a grin. "Maybe you should."

Then, before she knew it, Aemilia had breezed into her room and was making a beeline for her closet. Summer made a slight whimpering noise before closing her door and hurrying after her.

"Okay, let's see what we've got here," Aemilia said, opening the closet and stepping inside. She looked through a few of the racks, browsing quickly through them before pausing and finding the stash of unworn clothes that Summer kept pushed to the very back and never _ever_ wore. "What's all this?"

Cringing behind her, Summer chewed briefly on a nail and replied, "That's... the stuff my mom's bought me over the years."

Eyes widening, Aemilia grasped one article of clothing and said, "These all still have the tags on."

"... Yep."

Then Aemilia grinned. "Oh, Lizzie has _wonderful_ taste." Then she started pulling things one by one, tossing them to Summer and saying, "Try these on. You might not ordinarily do daring but you're going to tonight."

Summer gulped. _Oh no_. What had she gotten herself into?

* * *

"... I can't believe you talked me into wearing this."

"Relax. You look absolutely delicious."

Summer sighed and looked down at herself and the getup that Aemilia had wrestled her into. She was wearing a pair of _quite_ short high waisted black shorts with faux leather paneling, and a deep wine-colored sleeveless crop top that was just long enough to show just a sliver of skin between the hem of the top and the waistband of the shorts. Then Aemilia had lent her a pair of black platform heels that were so high that they made the already-tall Summer feel like she'd just escaped the Amazon. On top of all of that, Aemilia hadn't let them leave until she also touched up Summer's makeup, making it a little more dramatic and eye-catching.

"I don't think I've ever walked outside wearing anything like this before," Summer said, focusing on walking straight and not tripping and falling over her own feet. "Not even on spring break in college."

"Well, then I'm even more proud that I managed to talk you into it," Aemilia grinned, garnering more than a few wandering eyes herself as they walked the city streets.

Their night on the town didn't come without a price for their security staff. Sam was tailing them inconspicuously, along with no fewer than five other men who were watching them both and making sure that the wives of two of the most highest ranking men in the American Bratva were safe. Summer was only aware of Sam, and Aemilia spared her knowledge of the others for the sake of her anxiety. She knew it would only make Summer second guess going out at all.

Instead, Summer was in good spirits. While she felt ridiculous in her outfit, she was excited and it showed very clearly on her usually-smiling face.

"So where are we going to first?" Summer asked as they waited their turn in a crosswalk.

"It's a surprise," Aemilia smiled back. "In fact, it's _all_ a surprise. But I can guarantee you that I'm going to show you a wonderful time tonight."

Summer smiled back and said, "You know, coming from a badass CEO-slash-mob-wife, I feel like I should be a little scared."

Aemilia laughed at that, then held up her hands playfully and whispered, " _Boo_."

Summer then promptly cracked up, and together they both laughed as they crossed the street and neared their first destination of the night.

Summer had done her fair share of bar-hopping and clubbing in her day. It wasn't something she did often, especially not over the last few years, but she wasn't exactly a stranger to going out and getting smashed and dancing - badly - until she dragged herself home to sleep until noon and wake up with an enormous headache. She had never, however, experienced the kind of night that Aemilia had in store for them.

The first club that they hit was an exclusive cocktail lounge that only served a select and clearly rich clientele. It was quiet, classy, and as Aemilia explained when they took their seats, a good "primer" for the night that laid ahead. They took in the jazzy, smoky atmosphere and had a few glasses of wine, just enough to get them feeling good and a little looser before Aemilia paid the bill and took Summer's hand to lead them out.

"Um," Summer said once they were back on the sidewalk and feeling the cool night air, "do you think Sam could lend me a jacket or something?"

"What ever for?" Aemilia inquired, the air not nearly cool enough to be considered jacket-worthy. "Are you cold?"

"No, but... uh... did you see that one guy back there, in that place? The one sitting in the corner with some friends?"

"Yes, wearing a three piece suit?" Aemilia grinned. "Yes, I saw him checking you out."

Summer groaned. "I can't do this."

"Of course you can!" Aemilia exclaimed, grabbing her hand in encouragement again. "I say do either one of two things; ignore the men who look at you like that - because trust me, there will be plenty more tonight where that man came from - or just smile back at them and allow yourself to feel good for once."

Summer looked at Aemilia a bit skeptically. "But..."

"I'm not suggesting you tie your confidence to what men think of you," Aemilia went on, "but there's no harm in acknowledging the fact that you are a beautiful young woman who could have _any_ man you wanted."

Summer widened her eyes in disbelief. "... Seriously? That's what you _actually_ think? You're not just saying that?"

Aemilia nodded. "In fact, I think you could even win Bucky over, given time and the right efforts."

 _Now_ she was officially talking like a crazy person. "... _Efforts_?"

"If you ever decide that you want to try," Aemilia winked, "let me know and I will help you in every way that I can."

Before Summer could ask if she was hallucinating or if Aemilia had really just offered to help her seduce her husband, they had arrived at their next destination. This time it was a club that was a little more conventional looking but no less fancy, boasting a line out the door and down the block of party-goers eager to get inside. Aemilia, however, led Summer right past that line and to the door, as if she owned the place and didn't need to wait in any silly line herself.

The bouncer stopped them as soon as they got close, however, with a barked, "Hey, hey, I don't think so. Line's down there, sweetheart."

Summer backed up immediately, but Aemilia stood her ground and eyed the bouncer in disbelief. She tilted her head slightly and looked him over, pointedly repeating, " _Sweetheart_? Excuse me?"

The bouncer rolled his eyes. "Ma'am, I'm gonna have to ask you to -"

"Darling," Aemilia interrupted, her tone as sugary-sweet as her smile, "I assume that you are new to this job, because otherwise you would know full well that my husband and I _own_ this club and that I could fire you right here for the way that you just spoke to me."

The bouncer's eyes going wide with horror and realization, his entire posture changed and he all but shrunk in on himself. "I am so sorry, Mrs. Montgomery, I didn't know. I - please, I apologize. If there's anything I can do to -"

Aemilia held up her hand and he hushed up at once. "We all make mistakes. Be sure not to make _that_ one again," she admonished before turning and leading Summer inside.

As soon as they were out of earshot, the giggles that Summer had been barely containing finally bubbled over. " _Oh my God_."

" _Sweetheart_ ," Aemilia rolled her eyes. "Ugh. _Men_."

Summer giggled again, growing ever more in awe of the woman whose wing she could still hardly believe she was under. Aemilia was everything she'd ever believed that she would be and more, and the fact that she got to share a VIP lounge with her and party the night away was still too surreal to fully believe. But that didn't stop her from having the time of her life.

It was one of the biggest and liveliest clubs Summer had ever stepped foot in, and she could see the little influences of Lukas and Aemilia throughout everything from the classy decor to the designer clothes that all the employees were apparently required to wear. It was a steep step above every club that Summer had been to before.

Before she even had a chance to truly soak in the place, Aemilia tightly grasped her hand and pulled her in the direction of the bar. "Come on!" she exclaimed, "You've _got_ to try some of our specialties!" Summer nodded enthusiastically and followed as the two women weaved throughout the crowds.

Once they finally reached a couple empty spots on the bar, Aemilia raised a hand to hail a bartender. "Hey, Pietro!" she called over the crowd.

As Summer sat down, she saw a _very_ good looking blonde bartender come bounding towards them and throwing a hand towel over his shoulder. "Mrs. Montgomery! It's great to see you again! I see you brought a friend with you," he said, eyes meeting Summer's with a large grin.

"Yes! This is my friend Summer Barnes," she replied, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Summer is actually your sister's new boss."

"Oh, _really?_ So you're the new boss lady! I hope Wanda hasn't been too much trouble yet," he teased.

"You're Wanda's brother?" Summer asked, surprised. Small world.

The man smiled brightly and extended a hand over the countertop. "Pietro Maximoff, at your service."

Aemilia leaned in and added proudly, "Pietro is the fastest bartender in all of New York."

He laughed, releasing Summer's hand, and winked, "That's why you pay me the big bucks. _Now,_ what can I get you ladies this evening?"

Aemilia got this somewhat _devious_ look, her eyes shifting from Summer to Pietro and saying, "Well, I just can't let Summer visit and not try my favorite drinks…"

"Ah, I know exactly what you're thinking," he said, looking at Summer like _You have no idea what you're getting into._ "Two of each?"

"Hmm, let's share mine, and two of Lukas's. We might as well _try_ and pace ourselves."

With a chuckle and a nod, he replied, "Coming right up!" and was gone faster than Summer could blink.

As they waited, Summer couldn't help but ask, "So…tell me, how you two came up with the name _Silvertongue?_

A genuine giggle escaped her throat. "That was my idea actually. As you can tell, my husband has…quite the way with words."

"Uh, _yeah,"_ Summer deadpanned. Truer words had never been spoken.

"He's very proud of it, and I _certainly_ can't complain. I've always lightly teased him, called him a silver tongue. Thus…when he decided to buy a night club, I thought it would be a fitting name. And here we are."

Summer couldn't help the never-ending smile eternally plastered on her face. "That is so awesome. It's a perfect name."

Just as Aemilia was about to say something, Pietro appeared out of thin air again. He placed a _beautifully_ crafted mixed drink the color of emeralds in front of them. "One 'Enchantress' to share," then he placed two shots on the counter as well, "and two 'Shots of Mischief.' You ladies have fun."

"Thanks, Pietro. You're the best." He winked one last time before going to another customer.

Summer's eyes were glued to the shot glass in front of her. She considered herself fairly experienced in the art of taking shots, but she'd _never_ seen one look like that before. The liquid was black as pitch with black salt on the rim and a thin sliver of lime. She dumbly pointed at it and asked, "What is _that?"_

Aemilia laughed. "All in due time, dear. First, I want you to try this." She picked up the generously sized mixed drink and placed it in front of her.

Summer eyed it for a second and said, "The Enchantress, huh?"

"Yep, the creation of this drink was Loki's grand opening gift to me."

Before she took a sip, Summer put the drink down to look at Aemilia incredulously. Literally every new thing that she told her about her relationship with Loki managed to make Summer fall in love with them even more. Literally, how in the _heck_ could two people be so _fricking_ cute? "How'd he come up with that name?"

Aemilia blushed a little at that. "He, ah, I believe his exact words were, 'Because I've been under your spell since the moment I first saw you.'"

Summer had to really reign in utterly melting into a puddle of goo. "I just," she stammered, "I can't with you two. You guys are too cute. It's gonna kill me."

Aemilia scoffed, "Oh, stop it. Now try it before I drink it all myself!"

Summer laughed and finally took a sip.

"Oh my God."

" _Right?"_

"This is the best mixed drink I've ever had, hands down," she said, taking a much heartier drink of it this time. "It's not too sweet, either."

"It's also a lot stronger than you realize," she lightheartedly warned.

Summer shrugged. "I like it strong."

Aemilia grinned at her. "Good. So do I. Which now brings us to the main event."

"The 'Shot of Mischief?'"

"Loki is quite the trickster at heart, so he came up with this. No one knows what's in it except for Pietro, one other bartender, and Loki. He won't even tell me."

Summer's eyes widened, "Oh, man, I am _so_ scared. Let's do it."

"Yeah?"

"Oh, _hell_ yeah."

"On three. One."

"Two."

"Three."

Both women bravely knocked back the midnight black liquid. The surprisingly delicious shot went down her throat like velvet. No burning, no nothing.

But then she waited for a moment, and it all hit her at once.

Summer had been riding a pleasant buzz for a couple hours now. But with just one of those mysterious little shots, she went from buzzed to _ridiculously_ giggly in a matter of seconds.

The two women locked eyes for a split second, a new flush on each of their cheeks, before they both burst out in exuberant giggles. This was the most fun Summer had had in _years,_ and the night only got better once they finished the Enchantress, knocked back another shot (something a little more mild that time), and Aemilia dragged her out on the dance floor once he'd finally drank enough not to care about her subpar dancing skills.

It was _just_ what she had needed. Laughing and dancing and letting loose with the best buzz she'd had in ages, Summer forgot all about her troubles and stresses and had fun with her new best friend. Aemilia was a blast herself, all the alcohol turning her into the most adorable pile of giggles Summer had ever seen, and dancing with her immediately took a very high spot on Summer's internal list of favorite experiences ever.

The only slight hiccup occurred when in the midst of it all, Aemilia turned around for just one brief minute to grab them both water and a random guy from the crowd came up behind Summer mid-dance and joined in as if he had been there all along. She immediately paused and glanced over her shoulder, then moved away without making a fuss. After all, things like that happened all the time in clubs. It was a hardly a big deal.

But then the guy followed her and did it again, this time even putting his hands on her hips, and she slapped his hands away and whirled around on him. "Dude!" she exclaimed over the pounding music. "Leave me alone!"

The guy - young, drunk, not especially good looking - merely grinned and shouted back, "Aw, come on. Saw you dancing alone, figured you wouldn't mind."

"Well, I do, so," she shrugged, turning around only to hear his irritating voice again.

"You here with someone?"

She looked over her shoulder and pointedly held up her left hand. "Married." At least that unfortunate fact would come in handy when dealing with overly persistent drunks.

"I don't see your husband anywhere."

Summer groaned and then immediately deflated with relief when Aemilia came back with water in hand. "Thank God," she yelled into Aemilia's ear. "This dude's on my nerves."

Easily singling out said annoying dude, Aemilia shot him a withering glare that made him finally hold up his hands and back off. She then rolled her eyes and they quickly put the incident behind them, enjoying the rest of their time at that particular club and not getting anymore trouble from a soul.

But Aemilia had one more club to hit before the night's extravaganza was over, and once they left the club and hit the street again - fairly drunk but not too drunk to competently walk in heels - they were both flushed and giggling and hanging on to each other for balance.

"I can't believe that's your club!" Summer exclaimed a little too loudly. "Wow! Like, is there anything you can't do?"

Laughing at that, Aemilia replied, "Well, the club was Loki's idea, but I definitely helped him along the way and added my touch here and there."

"'Loki'?" Summer repeated with a small smile, and Aemilia blushed a little before a small commotion behind them made them both turn and look.

"Hey!" came the still-irritating voice of the drunk guy from the club, apparently trying to follow them. "Where're you ladies headed next?"

The way that Aemilia went from relaxed and loose to suddenly standing up completely straight and on alert made Summer do the same. But they didn't stop walking, and with a wordless look between the two of them, they both silently agreed to continue ignoring him.

Knowing that their security was keeping an eye out for them, they both sighed when the man kept yapping. He stumbled once or twice, obviously wasted, but he was even more persistent than he was back at the club. He kept going for the whole block, but once he got too close for comfort, Aemilia wasn't content to simply keep ignoring him any further.

"Hey," he said, reaching out and poking the back of Summer's shoulder, "you know it's pretty rude to ignore someone talkin' to you, rig-"

He never got to fully finish that sentence, because he started wailing in pain instead. Aemilia had pivoted on her heel and grabbed his arm, kicking him with her high heeled foot hard in the groin and then twisting his arm behind his back, shoving him down to the pavement face-first.

"And didn't anyone tell you that it's rude to be a fucking prick and not understand the meaning of the word _no_?" Aemilia demanded as the man gasped in pain. She pushed his arm a little further up his back, just for a bit of emphasis, and Summer's jaw hit the ground.

Aemilia had gone from a happy and giggly drunken dream to a lethal and sharp-tongued badass in a matter of seconds. Summer stared at her in complete and utter admiration, barely even noticing that Sam and _five_ other security guys had just converged on them, three of them with their guns out ready to drop the man for touching Summer and forcing Aemilia's hand.

Aemilia glanced over her shoulder and rolled her eyes. "Oh, put those away." They did as she told, holstering their weapons, and then she threw the man down on the sidewalk. Holding his arm and scrambling back from her and her armed men as fast as he could, Aemilia told him, "Go home before I change my mind."

He was then up and running - limping - down the street. Aemilia straightened out her clothes, taking a deep breath and turning around with a smile back on her face. "Well, that was invigorating."

Summer continued to gape at her. Sam grinned and said, "Way to make your security team feel completely useless."

Aemilia smiled and took Summer's arm, taking them back on their way and replying, "It's not my fault I'm still faster than you even when I'm drunk."

"That's cold."

Aemilia laughed again, then turned to Summer and gave her a smile. "Are you all right?"

Summer nodded, still staring at Aemilia a bit dreamily. "If I wasn't in love with you before, I definitely am now."

That earned another melodious laugh out of Aemilia, and it was as infectious as ever. The girls walked to their next destination with their spirits high, a bit of extra adrenaline adding to the mix and making the night even more memorable than Summer would have ever anticipated. It didn't even bother her that they had a small army following them and that danger was always _that_ close to merit such security, because that night still wasn't the night for stress or worries. It wasn't over either, and neither of them were ready to go home just yet.

She was _definitely_ gonna have stories to tell Lizzie about the next day, and it was gonna be _awesome_.

* * *

No earlier than 3 in the morning, the girls returned to the manor giggling like madwomen and just barely staying on their feet. Clutching one another for balance, Aemilia laughing so hard she was snorting while Summer sang an off-key rendition of the Backstreet Boys' _I Want it That Way_ , they stumbled through the foyer and into the drawing room, planning on taking off their shoes in there and taking a minute to breathe before attempting to negotiate the intimidating staircase. But the drawing room wasn't as empty as they had thought it would be, as they discovered as soon as they got the doors open.

Smoothly swiveling around in one of the chairs and wearing a highly amused and possibly even predatory smirk, Lukas raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did you ladies have fun?"

Aemilia suddenly lit up like a Christmas tree and legitimately squealed his name as she flung herself at her husband, literally jumping into his lap and kissing him as if she would have expired on the spot had she not done so. Summer's eyes widened and she swayed a little where she stood, openly gawking and, to her despair, eventually whimpering audibly enough for Lukas to hear. That was when he cracked an eye open and chuckled as he gently eased Aemilia away, still holding her on his lap.

"All right," he said, kissing Aemilia's forehead. "Let's save it for when we don't have a particularly red-faced audience."

Summer pouted. "Aw man, no! Keep going! I don't mind watching. I'll totally watch. I'll even -"

Whatever she was going to say was cut off when she then tried to walk to a chair and tripped over the leg of an end table. She hit the ground with a pathetic groan, and after muttering to herself incoherently and managing to sit up, she looked up to find Loki standing over her and offering her a hand as Aemilia hung on him and nuzzled his neck with her eyes closed. "Come along, darling," he said as he pulled her to her feet. "Let's get you to your room before you lose a limb."

Summer giggled and tried not to flail as he wrapped an arm around her to keep her upright as he walked both ladies out of the drawing room towards the staircase. Aemilia was still sniffing and gently kissing at his neck, and Summer was being utterly assaulted with his rather intoxicating scent. It wasn't fair and she knew she was on the verge of word-vomiting all sorts of humiliating things, so she decided to start singing again to prevent such an indignity. This time it was Britney Spears' very first hit that she decided to mangle.

Halfway up the stairs and nearly through the first chorus, Lukas was laughing and Aemilia was too, and as Summer belted out the last line, Aemilia surprised her by joining in and singing it with her. And even while ragingly drunk and singing a song that required very little actual talent to pull off, she still sounded like nothing short of an angel.

Summer gawked at the woman. "Did you just sing with me? _Oh my God_ , my dreams are all finally coming true. You are the coolest woman in existence."

Aemilia laughed. "Oh please, we are both beautiful, awesome women and it's time you just accepted that, okay?"

"I would agree," Lukas said, still dragging them up seemingly never-ending stairs.

"See?" Aemilia half-slurred. "He agrees! That should mean something to you, since he's the sexiest fucking man on the planet."

Lukas let out a hearty laugh. "Oh, darling, I do so enjoy your drunken dirty mouth."

Aemilia grinned back, sidling up a little closer to him. "And I love your mouth even more. And your lips. And your tongue. Especially when they're on my -"

" _Okay_ ," Lukas laughed, "let's get this poor girl to her room, yes? I'm sure she's heard quite enough."

"No I haven't!" Summer exclaimed a little too loudly. "Don't worry about me. You two are fricking hot. You two do what you want. I'll just watch-I mean _wait_ no that's not what I mean. I mean... I uh... damn it. I already said I wanted to watch before, didn't I?"

"You did indeed," Loki grinned, "but it's quite all right. I can hardly blame you."

"Yes, especially considering how deprived you are," Aemilia added. "Poor girl."

"Well, if James would only get his head out of his ass," Lukas shrugged, and suddenly they all came to a halt. "All right, we're here."

Lukas proceeded to open Summer's door for her, then helped her get inside and safely to her bed where she faceplanted immediately with a groan. He chuckled and tossed her blanket over her, all while Aemilia clung to him from behind and may or may not have groped at his chest as he told Summer, "Get some sleep. I have a feeling you drank your weight in alcohol tonight and there's no shame in sleeping until noon if you wish."

Summer smiled and gave him the thumbs up. "Thanks, dude. You're awesome."

Lukas chuckled, then raised an eyebrow at his wife as she started pulling up his shirt from where it was tucked into his pants. "Well, aren't you an eager little one tonight."

"I'm eager every night," Aemilia purred back, and the quite ravenous way that they looked at each other made Summer want to slam her head into a wall until her frustration finally ebbed away. "Are you going to keep me waiting?"

"Certainly not," Lukas all but _growled_ , and then he turned back to Summer and smiled, "Sleep well, dear."

Summer mumbled something inaudible in reply, something between _I hate you both_ and _why are you two so perfect_ , and then she watched as the couple made their way out of her room. She heard more giggles and watched as Aemilia tried her best to kiss him as much as she possibly could, and then there was a faint slapping sound and a girlish squeal of glee. Then they both breathlessly told her goodnight one more time before closing the door behind them, and the very minute she was alone again, Summer dropped back down on the bed and let out a long, miserable groan.

 _Well, this just sucked_. Here she was, fresh off the heels of one of the best nights ever, and now she was alone and staring at the ceiling and wondering what deity she had so gravely offended to end up where she currently was. Not all of her new life was bad - in fact, some of it was _fricking great_ \- but now that everything was quiet again and she was alone with her thoughts as they swirled through her alcohol-addled brain, she could only think of one thing. Well, person.

 _Him_. The devil himself. Her husband, who was undoubtedly snoozing away down the hall and probably dreaming happily of the day they'd be allowed to divorce and never see each other again.

But was she _really_ so bad? Aemilia sure liked her a lot, and Lukas had paid her a pretty big compliment as well just a few moments before. If they thought that she was just swell, then what was Bucky's problem?

Not that it mattered, though. Summer knew they'd never have a good relationship, and she'd probably never have her own Lukas. He and Aemilia were so obviously perfect for each other that even complete strangers could clearly see that they were a flawless match, and there was such a remarkable love and respect between them. Summer had never seen anything like it, certainly not between her own parents, and _God_ she wanted that too.

But she _couldn't_ have that, because she was married to the grumpiest of grumpy old - young - men, and he wanted nothing to do with her. And really, it was an outrage. She was awesome! Or at least other people who were also awesome seemed to think so, and that counted for something, right?

Anger and irritation replacing her previous happy buzz, Summer sat up and swung her legs off the bed. She then stood up, fell over, caught herself on the nearest wall, and then straightened back up. She proceeded to toss her hair back and march out of her room with a renewed sense of purpose and the single best idea she'd had in ages. She was gonna give that bastard a piece of her mind and she was going to do it _right now_.

She walked up to his door and started pounding on it as loudly as she could. She heard a few muffled yells as she continued to punch at the door, Bucky no doubt telling whoever it was who dared to disturb the king of the fricking world to go to hell, but that only made her knock even harder. She started smiling, giddy at the thought of bothering him, then froze when the door actually opened.

"Do you have any fucking idea what fucking time it..." Long hair a mess and eyes bleary but sharp with anger, Bucky trailed off and furrowed his brows as he unexpectedly found his wife to be the culprit. He eyed her from head to toe, still wearing her club get-up including those enormous heels, and then he met her gaze in sheer confusion. "The fuck do you want?"

 _Oh, that was just perfect_. Pushing past him and strolling into his bedroom with all of her drunken courage, Summer turned around once she was inside and raised her eyes to his bewildered ones and replied, "I want to talk."

He rolled his eyes, still holding the door open. "We can talk tomorrow. Get out."

"No."

He paused, eyes widening in surprise. " _No_?"

"Yes, _no_. You're going to stand there and listen to me because I'm your wife and I'm also super drunk and I won't have the guts to do this tomorrow."

Bucky stared at her for a long moment, seemingly torn between what the hell to do with her and this unexpected defiance. Finally he closed the door and crossed his arms. "Fine. Talk."

"Well, I... _oh my God_."

Suddenly, as if her eyes had suddenly caught up to her brain, Summer realized something that made her nearly choke on her own breath and die right where she stood. Bucky was _naked_ \- 100%, gloriously, unexpectedly naked - and somehow she had missed that until that point.

And good God, he was perfect. _Everywhere_.

"... You're naked."

He blinked slowly and wearily. "And you're wasting my fucking time. Talk."

That snapped her focus back to his face. She narrowed her eyes and said, "See, that's what I'm talking about. You're a jerk. You are seriously the biggest jerk... ever."

He didn't seem impressed. He merely raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue, so she did.

"Seriously, I don't get it," she said, raising her arms and letting them flop to her sides. "Am I really that bad? Like, what is so horrible about me? I mean, I get that this whole marriage thing sucks - believe me, I hate it too - but it's not like I chose this or did _anything_ to you, _ever_. I was just minding own business, doing my job and going home and watching Netflix every night alone because I had no social life, and then suddenly _bam_ , 'hi, Summer, you've been sold to the Russian mafia so now you get to marry a big scary mob boss now who's gonna hate your guts for no reason and treat you like you're the most repulsive creature who's ever lived. Yay!'"

Bucky chewed on his lip momentarily but otherwise said and did nothing, so she stepped a bit closer to him and kept going.

"And I've asked everyone what your problem is, and they've all told me the same thing - that's just Bucky, he's been through hell, we all love him anyway. And nobody will tell me what happened to you so I have no idea what it is. I'm sure it's horrible, but I mean, my mom and brother died in front of me when I was a little kid and I don't use that as an excuse to treat everyone around me like crap."

Bucky's eyes flashed a little. "You have no fucking idea what you're talking about."

"I know!" she exclaimed. "I don't, because I don't know anything about you! All I know is that you kill people a lot and you have tattoos and long hair and you hate me. Do you have any idea how scared of you I still am? I still dream sometimes of you killing me and it's always so real and I -"

... She'd said too much. She shut her mouth, looking up at Bucky nervously and finding him looking at her a bit differently than he had before. He looked a little surprised and a little less openly hostile than before.

A long, awkward moment of silence stretched between them until Bucky licked his lips and muttered, "I'm not gonna kill you."

"But you hate me," she pointed out. "You probably wish I was dead."

"I wish I never had to marry you," he corrected her. "If I wished you were dead, I _would_ kill you."

... Well, _that_ was comforting.

"It's not like you want to be here either," he added, looking away. "I don't know what you want from me."

"Just... civility?" Summer shrugged. "I mean, I get along so well with everyone else. They all seem so normal and good but then there's you and you just..."

"I what?" he asked, taking a step closer to her. "Scare you? Yeah, I know. You mentioned that already."

She foundered for a moment, partially due to his words and also his proximity, eventually stuttering, "Yeah, but... I just... can't we just be like... friends?"

He paused, and for a moment she thought maybe he would say _yes_ and they could have some kind of truce. But finally his features hardened again and he muttered, "No."

She then let out a sound of pure frustration and exclaimed, "See?! That's exactly what I'm talking about! You are _such_ a jerk! You're cold and you're mean and you're..."

Her eyes widened again, this time because she was watching herself poke him just underneath his collarbone. She hadn't realized she was doing that until it was too late, and her face flushed with embarrassment as he looked down and glared at her offending index finger. Then, because she was drunk and possibly momentarily insane, she pressed her palm to his chest lightly and said, " _God, you're hot_."

After staring at her hand, Bucky looked up at her and met her gaze. His voice was a little lower and rougher as he asked, "The fuck are you doing?"

"Losing my mind," she replied truthfully, smiling with embarrassment and then letting her eyes trail back down over his... well, _everything_. Hand still on his chest, she counted three visible tattoos in total - the one on his arm that she had already seen, some kind of star on the right side of his chest, and a large bird of some kind - a phoenix, maybe? - on the other. There were scars too, littered here and there across his abdomen and sides, and then below all of _that_...

" _Summer_."

Her eyes snapped up instantly. It was the first time he'd ever said her name outside of their vows at the wedding. "What?"

"You need to go back to bed."

His voice was softer now. He looked a little less mean than usual, and as she searched his features, the streaks of gray hair at his temples caught her eye. "How do you have gray hair when you're so young?"

The question caught him off guard. He furrowed his brows and looked a little offended before she quickly admitted, "Oh no, I like it! I mean, I don't _like_ it - what I mean is, it's... it looks hot on you. Not _hot_ , I mean... " She finally groaned and gave up, and Bucky sighed and looked up at the ceiling as if he was praying for patience in that moment.

She stared at him for a moment before more word vomit made its way out of her mouth. "Do you think I'm ugly? Is that part of it? Like, I'm not a tiny redhead like Natasha so I just... don't even have a chance?"

His eyes flew to hers again, more confused than ever. " _What_?"

"Just be honest," she shrugged. "I get it if that's what it is, but I mean... I'm not that bad, I don't think. I'm okay. Maybe not as hot as you, but -"

He closed his eyes and groaned. "That's not it."

Her eyes got a little bigger. "It's not?"

"No," he muttered.

"Then what is i-"

"I'm not telling you."

She paused, the finality of his tone leaving no room for doubt that he would not be sharing any of _that_ with her that night. "Oh. Okay."

He was quiet for a moment, seemingly wrestling with something internally before he finally said through gritted teeth, "I'm... sorry. For being an ass. You didn't deserve it."

She almost fell over in shock. Was she hallucinating? She was dreaming, right? Any minute the herd of AR-15 toting unicorns would be bursting through the door on their way to fight the Great Pony Wars, and she would definitely know it was a dream.

But it wasn't. He had actually just apologized.

"... Okay," she nodded, still in shock. "It's okay. I mean, it's not okay, but I understand. Kind of. I just... want to start over."

He nodded. "Fine. Yeah."

She suddenly broke out into a big smile and almost - _almost_ \- hugged him out of nowhere, but she controlled herself. "Good! Awesome. So we can like... be nice to each other now? No more jerky eye rolling and looking at me like I'm the worst human being in the world?"

"... I'll try."

Well, it was a start.

"Okay," she smiled again, and in her excitement she began to shift on her feet and, predictably, ended up losing her balance again. This time, instead of hitting the floor, she hit _him_.

"Sorry," she giggled, suddenly pressed against his body and in his arms. His hands were on her waist, helping to steady her, and when she looked up into his eyes she saw a bit of annoyance mixed with... something else. She wasn't sure what it was, but it made her bite her lip and tighten the grip she didn't realize she had on his shoulders.

He stared at her, gaze utterly unreadable, for a few excruciatingly long seconds. Neither of them having any idea what was happening, the moment finally ended when he pushed her away and murmured, "You should go back to bed."

Before she could answer, he had turned and walked to his dresser. He threw on a pair of pants, apparently not so comfortable being naked anymore, and then he turned back to her with an expectant look.

"Right," she nodded. "Okay. I'll just... go. Sorry for waking you up."

He gave a noncommittal shrug, and she nodded again for no reason before putting one foot in front of the other again. When she immediately stumbled again, he was there to catch her and hoist her back up to her feet with an annoyed, "Come on."

And then, to her surprise, he helped walk her back to her room. She was grateful for his help, definitely needing the support so she wouldn't fall and hurt herself, and just that alone was indicative of the truce they'd finally reached. Before, he probably would have let her stumble and fall and then laughed to himself about it.

Now, however, he walked her back to her bed and helped her climb on top of it. Once she was safely back in it, she kicked her heels off and burrowed under the covers with a quietly spoken, "Thank you."

He nodded, lingering for only a moment before turning and headed back the way that he'd come. When he did, she spotted a fourth tattoo on his back between his shoulder blades, some words written in Russian, and she couldn't help but ask, "What's that tattoo say?"

He paused halfway through her room, coming to a halt and pausing before he reluctantly answered her. "Winter Soldier."

 _Oh_. Right. That made sense. "Okay. Um... goodnight."

He nodded again, not saying another word before he walked out of her room and closed the door behind him. Blinking up at the ceiling on disbelief, Summer again had to wonder if anything that had just occurred was actually real.

Since she didn't trust the usual method of pinching one's self, she proceeded to slap herself across the face. When the slap did indeed hurt and confirm that this was, in fact, real life, she groaned in slight pain and then started smiling like a moron.

If things like this happened as a result of going out and drinking all night with Aemilia... maybe they needed to make it a weekly ritual. She rolled over and fell asleep within mere minutes, enjoying a peaceful, dreamless sleep for the first time since she had first been sold to the Bratva.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: *waves* Hiiii everyone! After killing my hands trying to get this chapter done on time, I FINALLY got it finished and WOO man, I need a bowl of ice to stick my hands in. YIKES. It hurts. Lol. ANYWAY, so today I present to you lovely readers a rather eventful and important chapter. I also want to warn you guys that there's some pretty intense violence and talk of an attempted sexual assault, so if either of those things might trigger some of you, read on carefully. It'll be obvious when both things are about to come into play, so skimming or skipping will be easy if any of you need to do so. There's nothing especially explicit, but still worth a warning.**

 **But anywho, I love you guys and I again thank you all for the incredible feedback and support you all continue to give week after week. I am SO SO grateful and I love each and every one of you. I also have to thank midnightwings96 for as always being an irreplaceable help, pointing out dumb errors I initially made lol, and for being like 99% of the reason I get any of these chapters done at all. I love you all and hope you enjoy! Let me know what you guys think! :D**

The next morning, sitting in the dining room at the long, full breakfast table, Summer and Aemilia groaned miserably as their night of heavy drinking caught up with them in the worst way possible. Summer had already thrown up once back in her bathroom, and Aemilia was fighting the urge to be sick herself as they both laid their heads down on the table on top of their arms and wished the pounding in their skulls would cease.

"I blame you for this," Summer muttered weakly. "That... 'Shot of Mischief' did this to me."

"I'm sorry," Aemilia groaned, face hidden under a mop of messy curls. "But you had to experience it."

Summer whined under her breath and then gagged a little. "Oh God, I'm gonna hurl again."

"No, you're not," Lizzie said, putting two cups of coffee down in front of the girls while Jarvis slid two full plates of somewhat greasy food in front of them. "Because then poor Jarvis here would have to clean it up, and let's face it, he works hard enough around here. Right, J?"

"Indeed, ma'am," Jarvis nodded.

Summer and Aemilia both forced themselves to straighten up, eyeing the food warily, and Summer shot Lizzie a half-hearted glare. In only a week's time Lizzie had seamlessly incorporated herself into the manor, and she seemed to be rather enjoying her new life of freedom as a soon to be divorcee. Summer was glad for it, but at the current moment, all she wanted was everyone around her to do was _stop talking so loudly_.

"Careful there, McGuire," Tony said as Lizzie slid into the seat next to him, as was becoming the routine. "Jarvis might start liking your sweet talk a little _too_ much."

Lizzie furrowed her brows. "McGuire?"

Tony nodded, shoving a donut into his mouth. "Lizzie McGuire. Great show. One of my favorites."

Lizzie mouthed the word _wow_ and replied, "You're lucky you're cute."

Meanwhile, Lukas sat down next to his wife, armed with his own cup of coffee and a very British scone in hand. He set the items down and rubbed her shoulder sweetly as she continued to stare down at her food. "Eat, darling."

Aemilia sighed and looked at him wearily. "I love you more than anyone else in the world, but please, shut it."

Lukas chuckled and nodded. "As you wish."

Summer, meanwhile, had forced a single bite of turkey bacon into her mouth before nearly gagging again and settling on just drinking the coffee. "My God, I'm never drinking again."

"Oh yes you will," Tony replied. "We _all_ drink again."

Summer shook her head. "Nope. Alcohol is the devil. All it does is make me act like an idiot and embarrass myself and then barf in the morning. Not worth it."

Aemilia furrowed her brows. "You didn't embarrass yourself."

Summer widened her eyes and muttered almost inaudibly, "Oh yes I did."

"If you're referring to your comments about wishing to intimately _watch_ Aemilia and myself, I assure you, dear, nobody in their right minds would disagree with you," Lukas said smoothly. Lizzie nearly choked on her orange juice.

Summer eyed him, unimpressed and too tired to let those words embarrass her. "Thanks for that. But no, that's not it."

"... Then what?" Aemilia asked, growing ever more confused.

"... I don't wanna talk about it," she grumbled, staring down at her coffee.

"But I was with you all night," Aemilia noted. "What's bothering you so much?"

There was no use in trying to hide it, Summer knew. Aemilia would pull it out of her regardless, but there was no way that she was gonna spill with Lukas and Tony listening. She looked at them both pointedly a few times before Aemilia understood.

"All the boys, out," she decreed. Lukas chuckled and obliged without complaint, but Tony whined the whole way out. They headed into the kitchens, and once the coast was clear, Aemilia turned back to Summer and said, "Okay, what happened?"

Summer briefly dropped her face into her hands, cringing before looking up at Lizzie first and then Aemilia. "I... did something. After you helped get me to bed."

"What?" Aemilia asked. Lizzie leaned closer, intrigued and a little bit worried.

Summer hesitated, ears prickling with heat as humiliation reared its ugly head again. "I... well, I was laying there and I started thinking and... I got really... really mad, so I decided to, um... go... talk to Bucky."

"... Oh dear," Aemilia breathed.

"Yeah, and, uh... so I got up and went to his door, and... he, um... he answered it... naked... so I -"

Lizzie gasped. "Did you _sleep with him_?"

" _No_!" Summer squeaked, face unbearably red.

"... Did you do _something_ with him?"

" _Mom_!"

"Well, I'm sorry," Lizzie shrugged, "but it's just that alcohol _does_ tend you make you a little bit of a slut, so..."

Summer smacked her hand to her face. "Wow, Mom, thanks."

"Well, it's true! And it does the same thing to me, so I'm not judging!"

" _Anyway_ ," Summer said pointedly, "so I walked into his room and I just... started yelling at him. I was rambling and kind of freaking out, and um... yeah, I just let him have it."

"What did he do?" Aemilia asked, a bit scared to know the answer.

"He... listened," Summer blinked, recalling the incident. "And... apologized. He got mad at first and he didn't say a lot, but... it actually went kind of well, I think?"

"That's... that's good!" Aemilia said, beyond surprised. "Why are you so embarrassed, then?"

"Well, at one point I kind of just started... kind of... randomly feeling him up," Summer cringed, "and I tripped and... fell on him... while he was still naked..."

"Oh my God," Lizzie groaned. Aemilia couldn't help but giggle.

"And... then he helped me get back to my room," Summer concluded. "We agreed on a truce, so... I guess fingers crossed that it sticks."

"He helped you back to your room?" Lizzie repeated. "Well, that's progress, right? He didn't just throw you out in the hallway and tell you good luck. That's good!"

"Yeah, but now I'm gonna have to face him again after all of that, and I just... why couldn't I have done that _sober_?"

"Because you probably wouldn't have had the guts," Aemilia shrugged. "And I don't say that in a bad way. Very few would have the guts to do that."

Summer groaned quietly, still picking at her food. "I guess I should be relieved that I _didn't_ um... you know... give into my... sluttier urges. Because they were _definitely_ there."

Lizzie sighed sympathetically. "That had to be _really_ hard. So you saw it _all_?"

"... _All_ of it," Summer replied, suppressing a shiver as she vividly recalled the rather glorious sight. "And there was a lot to see. He's... huge."

Lizzie blinked. "What, like ten inches huge?"

Aemilia burst out giggling as Summer sputtered and exclaimed, " _No, God_ , I meant everything! His body! He's... you know. Big. Everywhere."

"Oh," Lizzie paused. "But how big _was_ it?"

"You know what, I left my tape measurer in my purse so I wasn't able to get an exact measurement," Summer deadpanned.

"Well, excuse me for wanting to know. For science," Lizzie huffed, crossing her arms.

"You could always ask Lukas," Aemilia told Lizzie. "He could probably give you an estimate, if you're that curious."

"Oh my God," Summer squirmed, "it's too early for dick talk."

"It's never too early for dick talk, honey," Lizzie replied.

"Okay," Tony called out from just around the corner, "we're breaking out of quarantine! Fair warning!"

Most of the story already told at that point, Summer shrugged her consent and the two men returned to the table. Once they'd sat down, Summer suddenly blurted, "Oh! And he's got more tattoos, too."

"He does?" Lizzie grinned. "Where?"

"Who has tattoos?" Lukas asked.

"Bucky," Aemilia replied. "She saw him naked last night."

Lukas' eyes widened and shot to Summer. "You _did_?"

At that exact moment, the man in question happened to step inside the dining room. As a result, everybody fell silent at once, and Bucky - dressed for the office in a gray suit without the jacket on, hair tossed in a loose bun behind his head - eyed them all blankly before moving on to the coffee machines. First, however, he let his gaze linger on Summer just long enough to make her face go up in flames and her heart start pounding anxiously.

Lukas gently nudged Aemilia and whispered, " _What happened_?"

"You should ask him," Aemilia grinned. "We need his side of the story."

"What story?" Lukas hissed.

Summer glanced at Lizzie and pretended to not then stare at Bucky as he grabbed his drink. If anything, the previous night had only solidified his status as the single hottest thing she'd ever laid eyes on. It wasn't fair, and her eyes had glued themselves to his thighs - well-outlined in his finely tailored pants - when he turned around and caught her staring.

She looked away as quickly as possible, cheeks burning and eyes fixed firmly on her food as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world. She expected Bucky to take his coffee and leave, but then he surprised her - and everyone else - by sitting down at the head of the table, which happened to put Summer and Lizzie at his left and right.

But the real surprise came next, when he set down his mug and glanced at Summer before giving a quiet but astoundingly polite, "Morning."

Her eyes widened. Lizzie's jaw dropped a little, and Lukas' expression became even more bewildered.

"... Morning," she squeaked back.

Then he pulled out his phone, drinking his coffee as he started tapping at the screen. Summer looked at Lizzie first and then Aemilia, who began mouthing something to her that she only realized on the fourth try was _make conversation!_

Oh God. This wasn't gonna end well.

"So, uh..." Summer began shakily, feeling like a moron and spitting out the first thought that came to mind. "Are you... going somewhere?"

Bucky glanced up from his phone and looked at her, seemingly as surprised as she was that she was actually trying to talk to him. It took him a moment but he finally nodded and replied, "Office."

"Oh." She paused. "On a Saturday?"

"Less people," he said, going back to looking at his phone and ending the brief conversation.

Summer let out the breath she'd been holding and glanced around the table, shocked at the idea that their truce might actually be holding steady. While a few clipped words didn't really count as being a real conversation, she'd take that over dead silence and eye-rolling any day.

Summer and Aemilia ate the rest of their breakfast quietly, the food going down easier now as they were both starting to feel a bit more human again. Bucky stayed quiet himself, most of the table's conversation being driven by Lizzie and Tony now, and by the time the girls were done eating, Summer was suddenly aware of how unimpressive her appearance was. Her hair was down and excessively tangled, and she was probably still wearing some of the previous night's mascara too. Aemilia, despite her own recovery, simply looked tired rather than a big mess, but Summer was pretty sure she looked like a rat who'd just crawled out of a sewer.

It was time to escape to her room. She got up and bade the table farewell, glancing at Bucky nervously, and then she hurriedly made her way out. Lizzie followed her, intending to interrogate her more on the last night's events, and Aemilia decided to go with them as well. Far more girl talk was required than what they had managed at the table.

With the women gone, that left only Lukas and Tony in Bucky's presence. Briefly glancing at each other once the coast was clear, both men slid into the newly vacated seats left by Summer and Lizzie and eyed Bucky expectantly.

Bucky slowly looked up first at Tony, then at Lukas, eyes and features impressively blank. "What?"

"You _know_ what," Lukas replied. "Start from the beginning and tell me everything."

Bucky stayed completely expressionless. "There's nothing to tell."

"I call bullshit," Tony replied, another donut in hand. "C'mon. Spill."

Bucky glared at Tony. "Why are you _here_?"

Tony paused with the donut halfway to his mouth and feigned great hurt. "Well, excuse me for showing interest in your personal life."

"Quiet," Lukas hissed, stealing Bucky's attention back. "Did something happen between you and your wife?"

"No," Bucky rolled his eyes. "Not like that."

"Then what?"

Bucky stifled a curse, knowing how persistent Lukas was - and how annoying Tony was - and accepting his fate in having to tell the damn story. Not that there was a lot to tell.

"She showed up at my door at three in the morning drunk and yelling at me," Bucky replied. "I apologized for being an ass. She went back to bed. That's it."

"... You _apologized_?" Lukas repeated.

"Yes," Bucky replied shortly. "Is that such a shock?"

Lukas paused. "Well, yes."

Bucky sighed. "It wasn't a big deal."

"It is, if you're actually on 'good morning' terms with her now," Tony interjected. "Which I think is great, by the way. She's a nice girl. And she thinks you're totally h-a-w-t."

Bucky slowly turned and glared at Tony. Lukas simply chuckled and added, "Oh, I'm sure that's even more true now that she's seen you naked."

Bucky turned back to Lukas and pointed out, "I never mentioned that."

"Aemilia told me," Lukas grinned. "Apparently she and Summer discussed quite a bit already this morning."

Bucky mentally groaned, and Tony then asked, "So no funny business? I mean, it sounds like the perfect setup for at least _something_. Hot drunk wife pays her naked, sexually frustrated husband a visit in the middle of the night, one thing leads to another -"

Bucky glared at Tony _again_. "You think I'd take advantage of a drunk woman?"

"No, but the girl word-vomits at an alarming rate even without alcohol," Tony pointed out. "There's gotta be more to the story."

Bucky thought back to a few different moments from that particular conversation, remembering how Summer had stared at him and turned the color of ripe strawberries when she'd realized that he was naked. Then there had been the angry chest-poking that had turned into spur of the moment groping, followed eventually by her tripping and stumbling against him.

He would have been lying if he'd said that none of it had affected him. There was a reason he'd bothered to throw on a pair of pants after he'd felt her pressed up against him. He didn't think she was even aware of what one of her thighs had been pushing against, because if she had, he doubted she would have been able to look him in the eye at all that morning.

"Yoo hoo," Tony said, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Did we lose you?"

He blinked and gave a slight shake of his head. "Nothing happened. And I've gotta go."

Both Lukas and Tony protested as Bucky shoved his phone into his pocket and got to his feet, draining his coffee and leaving the mug on the table before turning to leave.

Technically, it was true. Nothing had happened, but it didn't mean that he didn't look at her a bit differently following her drunken outburst. Her confession of having dreams where he tried to kill her had been particularly jarring, and the truth was that he was just _tired_. He was tired of wishing things were different and that he hadn't been forced to marry her, and he didn't want to cause such fear in her. Regardless of everything else, she didn't deserve that. She was a victim in all of this as he was, and he had no interest in worsening her situation.

He could be polite. He could tolerate her. As long as she stayed out of his way and didn't interrupt his sleep again, he was fairly confident that they could co-exist in peace.

And if the image of her legs in those short shorts and sky-high heels was forever burned into his memory, he didn't have to admit that to anyone.

* * *

To Summer's relief, she recovered from her embarrassing drunken adventure with most of her dignity intact, and Bucky never ever brought it up or even really acted like it had even happened. Instead, he continued to be polite each new day that she saw him, saying good morning and no longer acting like he'd rather peel off his own fingernails with a pair of pliers than be in her presence. It made dinners that he was at much more pleasant, and she was quite happy that her drunken ramblings had brought about such a positive change.

At work, she continued to get more comfortable in her new job and got to know her team better. After three weeks on the job, she didn't need to ask Esteban for nearly as much help, and she even mostly knew her way around the computer system which was much more advanced and complicated than her father's company's system had been. Things were going well, and her stress levels had dropped significantly from their initial sky-high levels.

At least, until Aemilia dropped by her office one day with rather jarring news.

"... I'm planning _what_?" Summer blinked, sitting behind her desk and looking up at Aemilia with panic in her eyes.

"I know it's a bit sudden," Aemilia frowned, "but you can thank our _guests_ for that. They adore dropping in and paying us visits with little to no warning."

Esteban, who was standing next to Summer behind her desk, wrinkled his nose and asked, "Wait, are you talking about those grumpy old fat Russian men who come once a year and make everyone's lives miserable?"

"Those are the ones," Aemilia replied, cringing and smiling at the same time. "Their families have been in the organization for generations. They consider themselves to be the heart and soul of the Bratva."

Summer whimpered. "My first actual party I have to plan is for the heart and soul of the Bratva?!"

"Don't worry," Esteban said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I will help you."

"Yes, and bear in mind that these men are extremely uptight and will find a flaw in everything no matter what you do," Aemilia said. "They come here to pick us apart and look down on us for not being Russian enough or too liberal or whatever it is that they want to scrutinize. So don't worry about impressing them. Just think classy and elegant and follow your instincts."

Though she still wanted to panic and scream a little, Summer nodded. "Okay. Right. I can do this."

"Yes you can," Aemilia smiled. "I have a meeting to get to, but call me if you need anything, okay?"

Summer nodded and promised that she would, and Aemilia hurried back to her own office. As soon as she was gone, Summer dropped her head into her hands and groaned. "Frick me and call me Judy."

"It's okay, Judy," Esteban said, leaning over her and tapping on her keyboard. "We will get through this together."

"You deserve a raise," Summer said, and Esteban laughed.

"Yes, well, my boss is so stingy," he joked, and Summer cracked a smile at that. "So, you got anything to wear to this thing?"

She sighed and shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe? I have a dress that I wore to a Christmas party last year at work. It's okay."

Esteban looked at her like she had ten heads. "... You're joking, right?"

She blinked. "No?"

"Okay," he said, still typing on her keyboard, "we're going shopping later. And I am going to help you find a killer dress that's going to make _everyone_ either want you or wish they _were_ you."

"Oh God," Summer groaned. "Why does everyone want to help dress me all the time?"

"Because, my dear, you are in the immortal words of _Mean Girls_ a regulation hottie," he replied. "And you should dress accordingly, especially to parties as important as this one. Besides," he added a bit more slyly, "don't you want to knock the socks off of your husband every once in awhile?"

She blushed immediately. "Oh, um... well, I mean... no? We're not... he... it was all arranged, you know, so we aren't -"

"I know," Esteban shrugged. "Everyone knows that. Well those few of us _in the know_ do, who actually know we're working for the Bratva, anyway. But look me in the eye and tell me that you don't wanna hit that."

Summer stared at him and then burst out laughing. " _Oh God,_ stop! _"_

"See?" he grinned with delight. "I knew it! Don't feel bad, honey. He's a Greek god if I've ever seen one. And that's why we need to make sure you leave him _speechless_."

She sighed. "We really don't have to do that."

"Oh yes we do," Esteban replied. "You might be the boss lady but when it comes to fashion, _I_ am the boss and I won't take no for an answer. So today, after work, cocktails and shopping. I demand it."

"Fine," Summer relented, having little doubt that Esteban did in fact know exactly what he was doing when it came to fashion. He dressed better than almost anyone in the office, excluding Lukas and Aemilia, and if anyone could make her look exceptionally good, it was probably him.

And maybe... just maybe... she wouldn't mind catching her husband's eye a little bit, too.

* * *

Summer had two weeks to plan the party. To her relief, it wasn't as hellish of a prospect as she had anticipated, and a lot of that was thanks to having such a competent team to support her. She worked closely with Frieda as well, since she was the official lady of the manor and liked to have a hand in planning all of the events that took place within it. She personally approved all of Summer's decisions and liked what she did, which was quite the enormous relief.

Meanwhile, Esteban made good on his word to find her a killer dress. It hung in her closet like both a threat and a promise, but she couldn't wait to wear it. It was gorgeous and long and formal, and she'd always enjoyed playing dress up as a child. Now she got to do it as an adult and wife of a man who as it turned out was _not_ happy about the upcoming party - not because he didn't like the job she'd done with it, but because he _despised_ the men visiting. The same went for everyone else in the manor, and the atmosphere within the home on the day of the party was one of quiet but tense stress.

Summer ran around most of the day with Esteban at her side, making sure everything was perfect and in its place. The gigantic amount of champagne she'd ordered was in the kitchen and chilling, the decorations and accents that cost more than what she used to pay for half a year's rent were all perfect, and all of the gourmet food on hand were the favorites of the visitors. They'd pulled it off, and she was incredibly proud but also nervous, because the day was still very young.

She stayed busy getting ready while Esteban held down the fort downstairs. Aemilia, ever helpful, curled and styled her hair for her while she carefully put on her makeup, and the woman was a balm to her nerves. Chatting with her kept her mind off of her natural worries and stress over the party, at least until the end of the conversation when Aemilia gave her an important piece of advice.

Pinning half of her loosely curled hair up, Aemilia told her, "Keep in mind that the men you'll be meeting tonight are not particularly fond of many of us. They'll be very interested in meeting you, but I can't imagine they'll be very nice."

"Why do they hate everyone so much?" Summer asked.

"Well," Aemilia sighed, "they're more... old-fashioned, shall we say. You see, Pierce has always taken a more progressive approach to the Bratva. He doesn't care if you're a man or a woman or where you came from. If you can get your job done and stay loyal, that's all that matters to him. These men are different. They'd prefer the Bratva stay a boys' club."

"Oh," Summer nodded. "They must not like you."

She chuckled. "Oh, no, they don't. They aren't fond of Lukas or Bucky, either. They think we're all going to run the American side of the organization into the ground."

"Well, this should be fun, then," Summer sighed, watching in the mirror as Aemilia put in the final pin.

"Just keep your head held high," Aemilia advised her, pulling out a few strands of hair to frame her face. "They'll be gone soon enough. And you should stay close to Bucky tonight."

Summer's eyes flicked up to hers in mild alarm. "Really?"

Aemilia nodded. "I know things between you still aren't ideal, but they'll be looking for a weakness wherever they can find one. It's best if you two at least give the appearance of a united front."

"... Okay. I can do that," Summer breathed.

"Good," Aemilia smiled, giving her shoulder a tap. "All done. And you look amazing."

Summer smiled and thanked her quietly, feeling rather good about her appearance herself. The dress that Esteban had picked for her was a dark blue floor-length gown with lace detailing all over it, including on top of the sheer sleeves and tastefully sheer neckline. It was a great dress and Summer loved it, and she even loved the silver platform heels that Esteban had insisted she wear with it.

Aemilia was in a sparkling long-sleeved gold gown, her auburn hair swept up in an equally elegant updo, and when she turned around to check her phone, Summer noticed that the dress was entirely backless. She also realized that Aemilia had a tattoo on the back of her left shoulder, something she'd never noticed before.

"Ooh, what's that?" Summer asked, gaze zeroing in on the inked Russian words, written in a pretty and clean scrawl. "I didn't know you had a tattoo."

"Oh, yes," Aemilia smiled, glancing over her shoulder towards the ink. "Have I never showed you before?"

"Nope," Summer shook her head. "What's it say?"

"It says _god of mischief,_ a play off of Lukas' codename," Aemilia explained. "I got it out of necessity."

Summer furrowed her brows. "Really? Why?"

Aemilia drew a breath, briefly casting her eyes to the floor as she replied, "Well, as you know, the mob usually doesn't exactly attract the best kind of men. Not all of the ones that I encounter know who I am or who I'm married to. But this tattoo adds an extra layer of protection. They see it and know that if they touch me, they will most likely have their neck snapped."

"... Oh," Summer said, that answer both making sense and worrying her a little bit. "So... is that something I should be worried about? Creepy guys who might... I don't know, try something?"

"Well, generally, no," Aemilia assured her. "But it's always good to be aware of who you're around and listen to your gut, especially when we have guests like these. They like to bring sons and bodyguards sometimes, and they're often quite different from us." At Summer's increasingly worried expression, Aemilia told her, "You're the Captain's wife, Summer. That might make you a target to our enemies, but as long as those men know who you are, it would be suicide to even think about looking at you the wrong way."

She took a breath. "Okay, so... stay close to Bucky and make sure everyone knows who I am."

Aemilia nodded. "And we will all be there with you, dear. Don't worry. I just wanted you to be prepared."

Summer was grateful for that. She was grateful for Aemilia and all of her help and guidance in ways that she'd never be able to express in mere words.

A short time later, it was time for the party to officially begin. After going back downstairs and double checking everything, Summer peeked out of a window in the foyer and saw cars starting to arrive. She crossed her fingers - literally - and hoped for the best.

When she turned around, she halted and made a small noise of surprise. Bucky was standing there, dressed in a fine black suit with his hair neatly swept back in a bun, opening his mouth but pausing once they were face to face. She felt rather satisfied in the way that his eyes flitted over her, taking her in and clearly liking what he saw, even if he went to great lengths to not give that away.

Finally he cleared his throat and met her eyes again. "We have to greet the guests."

"Yeah," she nodded quietly. "There's already a few on their way in."

He nodded back, then glanced at the doors which were currently being opened by Jarvis and would stay that way until most of the guests had arrived. He glanced back at Summer and then took a few steps to his right, and she took that as an invitation to take her place at his side.

The problem was, she was standing entirely too far away. There was enough space between them to fit a whole other person, and Bucky took notice of this and sighed. "You gotta get closer."

Summer blushed and stepped a little closer, but they still didn't look like a normal, natural couple. Bucky gritted his teeth and made her nearly yelp with surprise when his arm curled around her waist and pulled her against him.

... _Okay_. She could do this. Her face was on fire and he smelled _really_ good and his hand felt pretty nice - and _weird_ \- on her waist, but she could definitely handle this.

As the first pair of guests made their way inside, he leaned a little closer to her and muttered, "Act like you like me."

Something about that sentence made her feel suddenly a bit sad, but she didn't have time to ponder on it because it was time to plaster a smile on her face and greet a bunch of people who neither she or Bucky cared to deal with.

One by one they all arrived, most of them as falsely pleasant as she and Bucky were. She was impressed by the fake smile that Bucky maintained the entire time, not the least bit sincere but clearly well-practiced, and she could tell how much he hated it by how tense he was.

Most of the older men came with wives or girlfriends, but a few came alone or with sons, and they all seemed to be greatly interested in scoping out the Captain's new wife. She tried not to squirm under the scrutiny too much, and most of the people were passably polite despite how many of them openly ogled her. She'd been prepared for that, at least.

Then, as the arrivals began to taper off, there was one man who showed up alone. He was older, predictably grumpy looking, and he walked inside and greeted Bucky with a loud string of Russian words and a few laughs that sounded more like labored grunts. He ignored Summer at first, but then when his eyes finally wandered to her, they widened and he grinned as he took her hand to shake it.

He then started speaking to her in Russian, expecting her to speak it as well. She gave a nervous laugh and glanced at Bucky. "Oh, um..."

Bucky quickly said something to the man, and she assumed that he was explaining that she only spoke English. The man then narrowed his eyes at her and made a tsking noise, shaking his head as he rambled at Bucky, and Bucky was clearly not impressed with what he was hearing. He said something back tersely, and the man scoffed and then headed into the party.

Summer watched the man go and then turned back to Bucky, eyes a little wide. "What did he say?"

"He's a fucking idiot," Bucky muttered. "Don't worry about it."

She paused, torn between pressing the issue or letting it go. Ultimately, she replied, "But I'm not doing anything wrong, right? I didn't offend him?"

"No," Bucky replied shortly.

"... So then why -"

He looked her in the eye and told her rather bluntly, "He said he didn't know that Strucker gave me an American whore for a wife. I told him that if he spoke another word like that in my house that he'd leave in an ambulance."

Her eyes widened. She hadn't expected that, not one bit, and Bucky's defense of her took her aback. Not that she expected him to agree with such a vile sentiment, but... "Well... thank you. For doing that."

Bucky nodded, then said, "Let's go on in."

She nodded back, and when his hand slipped into hers as they began walking, she had to swallow down a sudden lump in her throat. It was strange being like this with him, actually speaking to each other and him defending her to old jerks that they were being forced to host, but it was a nice kind of strange. She felt safe next to him, which was a far cry from how she had felt in his presence just a month before.

Together, they suffered as a marital unit and mingled with their guests as was expected of them. Bucky reached for the champagne as soon as possible, and Summer stayed close to his side just as Aemilia had told her too. It wasn't so bad once she got used to it, the fake conversations and laughing when she was supposed to, and luckily, nobody else was as rude to her as that one old man had been. Few seemed to mind that she didn't speak Russian, and a few of the wives seemed to genuinely find her quite cute.

Lukas and Aemilia were working the room as well, and Frieda was also keeping very busy. A lot of employees from the company were there, including Summer's whole team and quite a few others, and the manor was more packed than Summer had ever seen it. Everything seemed to be going well, however, and when Summer mentioned to a few people that she'd planned the whole thing, she got quite a few impressed reactions. Bucky would then grin like he was proud of her, and while she knew it was fake, she still let herself enjoy it.

Things only got a bit tense again once someone else came strolling their way, a man whom Summer had seen around the manor before. He grinned at Bucky and held out a hand to him as he greeted, "Barnes."

"Rumlow," Bucky said, that terse edge back to his voice.

Rumlow turned to Summer next, quickly and subtly looking her over before holding his hand to her next. "Mrs. Barnes. I don't think we've officially met yet. I'm Brock."

Feeling a bit uneasy since this was a man whom Aemilia had specifically told her to avoid, Summer forced a smile and replied simply, "Summer."

He didn't shake her hand. Instead, he raised it to his lips and kissed it, and while that was an innocent gesture, there something about him that made it seem somehow gross. "Well, Summer, I hope our Captain here's been treating you right."

He dropped her hand, and Bucky glared at him. "That's not really none of your business, is it?"

Rumlow sighed and slid his hands into his pockets. "I don't know why you always gotta be so defensive, man. Just trying to make conversation, that's all." He then glanced over to Summer. "You look very nice tonight."

"Thanks," she replied, wondering why the two men hated each other so much. There was clearly no small amount of bad blood there.

"Heard you planned this whole shindig, too," he said, gesturing to the manor in general. "Nice job."

"Thank you," she smiled. "It's easier than it looks."

He barked out a laugh. "I doubt that. Well, have fun, kids," he said, grabbing a glass of champagne from a passing server. "Don't let me monopolize your time. See you 'round, Cap."

Bucky didn't reply to that, merely glaring until Rumlow turned and left, and Summer was shocked that he had the guts to call Bucky _kid_ and _'Cap_ '. As soon as he was gone, Bucky muttered, "Stupid fuck."

... _That_ told her all she needed to know regarding what Bucky really thought of Brock Rumlow. She was about to ask exactly what had happened that made them despise each other so badly, but then she noticed Esteban signaling her from within the crowd. He looked frantic, mouthing the word _emergency_ , so she quickly made her apologies to Bucky and rushed over to see what the problem was.

It ended up being a rather mild emergency - apparently a rat had been spotted in the kitchens, but Jarvis, bless his heart, was able to catch it and release it back into the wild before any of the guests managed to see it and cause a scene. Once that was squared away, Summer returned to the party and tried to find Bucky again, but he was nowhere to be found. She did, however, spot Sam and a few other familiar faces, and she decided that she could use the break and hang out with them until Bucky resurfaced again.

"Hey, Marshmallow!" Sam grinned by way of greeting when she came over, throwing an arm around her for a short hug. "You can throw a party, I'll give you that."

"Sure it's not the whiskey talking?" she asked, gesturing to the glass in his hand.

"This is my first and only drink, thank you very much," he told her, holding up the glass. "I'm working right now, you know."

"Thanks, Bodyguard," she grinned, then turned towards the other two folks present. "Hey, Wanda! And your brother the bartender! Pietro, right?"

"Ah, I knew I made an impression," Pietro grinned, making his sister roll her eyes. "Thanks for the invitation, Mrs. Barnes. I'm always up for drinking alcohol instead of serving it for a change," he said, holding up his champagne glass for emphasis.

"Oh, no problem," Summer smiled back. "Besides, I couldn't invite your sister and not you. That would have just been mean."

"It's true, we _are_ part of a set," Wanda chuckled. "By the way, it looks like our hard work paid off."

Summer nodded and let out a sigh of relief. " _Yes_. Everything's going really well so far. I've only been called an American whore once so far."

Sam nearly choked on his drink. " _What_?"

"Who called you that?" Wanda asked, offended on her behalf.

"Some guy who looked like he hasn't gotten laid since the Berlin Wall was still up," Summer shrugged. "But then Bucky threatened to kill him, so."

"Good for him," Pietro replied. "Where is that man? I have a prank with his name on it."

"No, Pietro," Wanda sighed. "You are not going to 'prank' anyone here. I value having my head on my shoulders."

"Oh please, he'll never see me coming," Pietro shrugged, looking back to Summer eagerly. "Where is he?"

"Don't tell him," Sam advised her. "Pietro is the most annoying little shit you'll ever meet in your life. And that's coming from me, who deals with _Tony Stark_ on a daily basis."

"I heard my name," came Tony's voice from suddenly out of nowhere. Summer whirled around to find him standing behind her with none other than her mother on his arm. "What's up? What did I miss?"

Summer stared at Lizzie with wide eyes. Lizzie merely shrugged and grinned as if to say _whoopsie, guess I'm on a date_ , and all Summer could do was grin back and shake her head.

"Nothing," Sam replied. "I was just saying how Pietro here just barely edges you out on the annoying little shit-o-meter."

"Absolutely not," Tony shook his head. "I resent that. This little whelp's got nothing on me."

"Oh, you think so, old man?" Pietro shot back. Wanda rolled her eyes again, and Summer decided that she was going to hide out with these much more pleasant folks for as long as possible. "We'll see about that."

Meanwhile, across the room, Bucky and Natasha were suffering in a circle of miserable old gossips. The men were far worse than the women, and Bucky was one more mind-numbingly pointless story away from breaking the glass in his hands and using it to pluck out his own eyes. That became even more true when Natasha seized an opportunity to escape and left him with a sympathetic smile. He'd have to get her back later.

"So, where is that little wife of yours?" one of the men asked, nudging Bucky's shoulder. "I haven't seen her in awhile."

"Oh, there she is!" the man's wife said, gesturing across the room.

Bucky followed their gazes and saw Summer standing amid a small group of people. She was laughing and standing next to the Maximoff kids, and Pietro had just taken out his phone and thrown an arm around Summer as he snapped a few selfies. Then they were both laughing, his arm lingering on her shoulder, and the man who'd asked after Summer huffed a sound of disapproval.

"It seems that her attention has wandered," the man said. "Unfortunate."

Bucky glared at the man and took a drink, only to then listen to someone else chime in with another unwanted opinion.

"Ah, take it from me, brother - you must nip this in the bud," he said. "Especially while it's still early. Today, it's harmless flirting - tomorrow, it won't be so harmless."

Bucky swallowed down the rest of his drink and walked away without a word. He hated that he had to play this game and keep up appearances, but in the same vein, Summer should have known better than to stand there giggling with an attractive man who wasn't her husband, with his arm around her to boot. Not in their current company, anyway. And now he was being forced to do something about it in order to save face.

Bucky approached them swiftly and silently from behind, physically removing Pietro's arm from her shoulder and pointedly saying, "Summer, a word."

The whole group fell silent in an instant, and Summer turned and looked at him like a deer in headlights. He didn't waste any time explaining, instead taking her hand and quickly walking her out of the room and into the nearest hallway.

She looked bewildered when they came to a halt, away from the crowd. "What's going o-"

"You're making me look like a fucking idiot," he hissed.

Her eyes became comically huge. "What? _How_?"

"You can't flirt with other men. Not while I'm standing there in the same fucking room with people who're looking for every possible fucking flaw they can find in both of us."

She blinked. "I wasn't flirting with anyone."

He gave her a knowing look. "Don't play dumb with me, Summer."

"I'm not!" she exclaimed, expression slowly growing less confused and more angry. "I wasn't flirting! Am I not allowed to take a picture and laugh with someone who happens to be a man?"

"Not right now, no," Bucky replied. "These people already know our marriage was arranged. They're watching you like hawks and you're giving them ammunition."

"Oh, okay, so what am I supposed to do? Stay glued to your side all night and keep my mouth shut like a good little trophy wife?" she asked, not even trying to rein in her anger. This was _ridiculous_.

He rolled his eyes. "It's one fucking night, Summer. You can suck it up for one night."

... It was too much. Her stress from the last two weeks and really since before the wedding itself suddenly resurfaced and mixed with her irritation and what resulted was a spectacular overflow of word vomit. "You know what? I've been _sucking it up_ for a lot longer than one night. I planned this entire stupid party and barely _slept_ for two weeks because I wanted it to be perfect, and I didn't want you or Aemilia or Lukas to look bad. I did all of this even though I literally owe you _nothing._ You get that, right? What reason do I have to make these people think we have some kind of perfect marriage? And -"

" _Summer_ -"

"You know what else?" she went on, voice rising over his. "It's hilarious that you would criticize me for supposedly flirting with a guy when I have absolutely no doubt that you're still sleeping with Natasha every chance you get."

Up until that point, Bucky had been listening with an increasingly clenched jaw, but his expression had remained mostly calm. At that accusation, however, his eyes narrowed and suddenly flashed with anger. He took a step closer to her and dropped his voice down into a deadly serious tone as he all but seethed, "I haven't touched her since she first told me about you. Not fucking once."

... She wasn't sure how to process that. On the one hand she wanted to cling to her theory, but on the other, it was nearly impossible to doubt the truth of his words. He said them with such unexpected ferocity that it left her momentarily speechless.

"I know you hate me," he went on. "I know you think the worst of me. You've made that clear more than once. But you don't know a thing about me. If you did, you'd know I'm not gonna fuck anyone behind my wife's back."

She swallowed down dryly and paused, suddenly finding it hard to look him in the eye. "I... sorry. I shouldn't have... I'm sorry," she repeated, unsure of what else to say. "But I also didn't do anything wrong. I didn't flirt with anyone, and I didn't deserve you pulling me aside and embarrassing me like this. I've done nothing to make you look bad."

He paused, chewing on the inside of his cheek and dropping his eyes to the ground for a moment. "In their eyes, you have. So I'm asking you to play the part until they're gone. Can you do that?"

He asked her that question in a much more gentle and careful tone. The way that he said it, she got the distinct impression that he thought it was all as ridiculous as she did and that he was only doing it to, as he said, play the part. And that was something that she could understand, even if it was idiotic. Politics were politics, after all. "Fine."

"Thank you," he muttered before turning and walking off. She watched him go and let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding, and after another moment or two spent regathering her wits, she headed back into the fray.

Aemilia caught up to her first and asked what the heck had happened. Summer explained, and Aemilia rolled her eyes and groaned.

"These people, I swear," she sighed, shaking her head. "I'm sorry."

Summer shrugged and grabbed another glass of champagne. "They're as horrible as you said they'd be. Apparently I'm a cheating slut because I dared to laugh with a member of the male species."

"Morons," Aemilia muttered. "Well, look on the bright side. A few more hours and you won't have to see the vast majority of them again for another year or two."

"Thank God," Summer said, tipping the glass back and draining it in record time.

Over the next hour and a half, Summer played her part to the best of her ability and endured more inane conversations with people she didn't know and made sure not to visibly enjoy the conversations she had with the people she _did_ like. She eventually rejoined Bucky and stayed at his side for awhile, painting a smile on her face and feeling as if she deserved an Oscar for her performance as Mrs. Bucky Barnes.

When the need to expel the copious amount of champagne she'd consumed presented itself, Summer made her excuses and headed to the nearest bathroom. She told Aemilia beforehand that she planned on making it the longest bathroom break in history just to get a chance to breathe, and as soon as she made her way into the hallway towards the ladies' room, she was already sighing with relief.

"Hey, Summer!"

Pausing with her hand on the bathroom door, Summer looked over her shoulder and found Rumlow to be the source of the greeting. He was walking out of the other bathroom directly across the hall, running a hand through his hair and flashing her a smile.

"Oh, hi," she said, turning back towards the door and starting to open it.

"Hey, wait a minute."

She paused and sighed, wishing people would just leave her alone for five seconds. She let go of the door and turned around, forcing her features into something semi-pleasant. "Yeah?"

"I just wanted to let you know, 'cause I'm sure you've heard plenty about me from your husband," he said, walking closer to her. "I ain't got nothing against him, not really. I'm not a bad guy, either."

She blinked a few times, watching his uneven steps and quickly concluding that he was drunk. "... Okay."

"We used to be friends and everything, back in the day," he went on. "But then some shit went down and yeah... I didn't even get invited to the wedding."

"Well," she shrugged, "you didn't miss much."

He laughed at that, a little too loudly. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I try not to listen to the rumors, but..." He paused and looked at her in a way that made her feel mildly uncomfortable. "I gotta say, he's a fuckin' idiot."

Then he took another step closer, and Summer went from mildly uncomfortable to fully uncomfortable. He kept walking until she pressed her back against the bathroom door, and she stuttered nervously, "He's... he's not an idiot."

He scoffed, crowding her space. "Yeah he is, if he's married to a lady like you and not treating you like a real man should."

He reached out and touched her face. Her blood ran cold with sudden fear and she batted his hand away. "I - I don't - back off," she muttered, trying to squeeze out from between him and the door. But he grabbed her shoulders and shoved her against it, and that was when she went from afraid and on alert to terrified and panicked.

"Hey, hey, I'm just trying to talk to you," he said, voice deceptively quiet, as if he was trying to calm a small child. "Where you going? Back to _him_?"

She swallowed, her heart pounding sickeningly hard in her chest. "Let me go or I'll scream."

He chuckled. "No you won't." Then his hand was clamped over her mouth, and as she tried to scream muffled against his grip, he shoved her into the bathroom and kicked the door shut behind her. When he then slammed her against the wall, her head bounced off of it hard enough to make her see stars, but there was too much adrenaline in her system for her to feel the pain of it.

"Shh, shh," he hushed her, still covering her mouth with one hand while his other grabbed her wrist as she tried in vain to hit him. His whole body pressed her into the wall, and she didn't stop struggling against him until she heard the distinct sound of a knife being flipped open. Then there was a blade pressed to her cheek, and she opened her eyes wide and went limp.

"There you go," he smiled, caressing her cheek as if he was fond of her. "Just relax. Breathe. This ain't gonna take long, trust me,"

He grabbed a handful of her dress near her hip and ripped it, creating a jagged slit to the floor that wasn't meant to be there. She whimpered, tears streaming freely down her cheeks and fear like she'd never experienced before coursing through her veins.

He ran the blade down her face to her neck, never nicking her skin but coming damn close more than once. She heard the nauseating sound of a belt buckle being undone as he started rambling. "See, if the boss had made _me_ Captain, I wouldn't take a gift like you for granted. Not for a second. If I didn't know he was fucking Romanoff for the last couple years I'd wonder if he was a fairy. Couple of those around here, you know. Loki? I could tell you stories about him and the guys and gals he used to drag through here all the time, least till he found that little piece of ass who's got him by the dick now. But that don't matter right now. I got better things to think about."

He trailed the knife lower, over the top of her dress. She trembled and barely kept her whimpers inside as he caught the fabric with the knife and ripped it, looking up at her wolfishly as he groped one of her breasts through her dress. "Been wanting to see these things since the first day I saw you."

 _That_ was what did it. Panic reaching its zenith, she opened her mouth and screamed as loud as she possibly could. He responded by backhanding her _hard_ across the face and roaring at her to shut up, the force of the blow sending her to the floor on her hands and knees.

Meanwhile, back at the party, Aemilia and Bucky both froze where they stood on opposite sides of the room. They'd heard the scream, and they made eye contact through the crowd. While they didn't know if the scream came from Summer or not, she had been gone for some time. They started running towards the source of the scream, Sam and Lukas going with them. Lizzie ran right behind them in her five-inch heels, having heard too and not daring to question her mother's instinct that something was very wrong.

Back inside the bathroom, Rumlow had shoved Summer face down to the floor and was shoving up the skirt of her dress as he groaned, "Can't do as you're told, huh? That's okay, though. I like 'em feisty. Ain't no fun if they just lay there and take it."

Then he leaned down and brushed his lips across her ear, making a new, sickened sob wrack through her body. "This is gonna hurt."

She squeezed her eyes shut and started praying. It was all she could do at that point. He was bigger than her, _much_ stronger and armed, and she didn't doubt that he'd kill her if she became too much of a hassle.

"And this ain't personal either," he added, brushing her hair back and out of her face. "I'm not doing this to hurt you. I wanna hurt _him_. Your Bucky."

She kept praying, bracing herself and wondering if she was even going to survive this.

Then the bathroom door burst open, and the weight on top of her was gone before he was able to make good on his intentions. There was a loud cry of pain and then Rumlow was down on the ground, and Summer rolled over and looked up in shock.

Bucky was the first person she saw. He was standing over Rumlow, slamming his foot down on his wrist and making his grip on the knife go slack. Bucky picked it up and then jammed it into Rumlow's thigh, and Aemilia grabbed Summer and hauled her up to her feet as Rumlow screamed and blood splattered on the floor.

"Oh my God," Aemilia gasped, holding Summer up and looking her over frantically. "Did he hurt you? Did he -"

Summer shook her head, in shock that someone had come in time and that she still wasn't down on the floor living a nightmare. "No. He... he hit me but he didn't..."

Aemilia nodded, eyes filling with tears. "Thank God." She pulled her into a hug. "I am so, so sorry."

Lizzie came running to Summer next, having an absolute fit as one would expect. Sam and Lukas were there too, but Summer barely registered any of them. She turned around in Aemilia's arms and watched in silent horror as Bucky _lost his mind_.

Rumlow was still on the ground and Bucky was on top of him, delivering a brutal blow after blow to his face. Rumlow barely seemed to care, actually laughing in between blows and asking through a mouthful of blood, "Why'd you care what I do to her, anyway? S'not like you love her."

Bucky paused, and Summer watched him as he stared down at the other man with unrepentant hatred in his eyes. "She's still mine," he growled before getting up to his feet and hauling Rumlow up as well. Bucky slammed him against the wall, grabbing the top of his hair and bashing his head into the wall a few times for good measure, and as horrifying as it was, Summer couldn't look away. He was going to kill that man.

But then Bucky looked up and made eye contact with Summer. He looked at the hollow, still-terrified look in her eyes, the bruise blooming across her right cheek and eye, and the dress that was now ruined and mostly just hanging off of her trembling body, and she saw something break in his gaze.

She was wrong to ever think him inhuman or unfeeling. He was neither of those things, and that broken look on his face was all the proof she needed.

He then took Rumlow and dragged him across the bathroom, in front of where Summer stood with Aemilia and Lizzie's support. He put the man in a headlock, holding his head to where he could simply snap his neck with barely any effort, and then with his blue eyes blazing with a fury that Summer had never seen before, he told her, "It's your call. Say the word and I'll kill him right here."

Nobody present objected. Summer stared at Bucky in shock, unable to comprehend or process everything that she felt in that moment. He was putting her attacker's fate in her hands, trusting her to make a call and respecting her enough to do it, and it was the last thing she ever would have expected from him.

Then she looked at Rumlow. He was barely conscious, both eyes swollen shut, face covered in blood and barely recognizable. His knife was still sticking out of his thigh, and his pants were still undone.

He had insinuated that he'd done this before to other women. He deserved death, that much was certain. But she couldn't quite bring herself to end his life. She thought about it long and hard, but the thought of watching him die in front of her made her want to throw up. It was too much to handle in a short span of time, so she shook her head.

"You sure?" Bucky asked, gaze still fiery and intense.

"Yeah," she said, her voice as shaky as the rest of her. "But I don't want him to do this again. To anyone."

Bucky nodded. "Mia, get her out of here and get her to Banner. Sam, go with them. And Lukas," he added as he pulled the knife out of Rumlow's thigh, "come hold his legs down."

Summer had an idea of what that might mean. As Aemilia and Lizzie hurried and got Summer out of that bathroom at last, Lukas closed the door after them. Then, as Sam led them down the hall and towards an elevator that would take them upstairs and far away from the party, a blood-curdling and agonized scream erupted from the bathroom.

 _Good_ , Summer thought. She wasn't entirely sure of what Bucky was doing, but she hoped it involved the removal of an appendage. She'd make sure and ask later.

Sam led the women to a room that Summer had never seen before. It ended up being Dr. Banner's room, and when he opened it with a confused and half-asleep look on his face, he took one look at Summer and paled before letting them all in.

It was then, as she was sat down on the edge of an unfamiliar bed and gently examined by the doctor while Lizzie hovered over her like a crazed hummingbird that it all caught up to Summer and she lost it.

As Dr. Banner checked her for signs of a concussion, Summer began hyperventilating and having the worst panic attack of her life.

"Everybody back up, give her space," Bruce said, speaking more to Lizzie than anyone else. Then he knelt in front of Summer and gently said, "Look at me, Summer. Match your breathing to mine. See? Slow breaths, okay? In and out. In, out. You're safe now."

She shook her head, tears falling again and entire body shaking almost violently. "No I'm not. I'm not safe here. I've never been safe. I wanna go home. I need to go home. Please let me go home."

Aemilia looked up at Sam with tears in her own eyes. Lizzie covered her face and turned around so Summer couldn't see her bawling her own eyes out.

"Summer, listen to me," Bruce said, being careful not to touch her to do anything else to upset her. "I promise you, you _are_ safe now. Nobody's gonna hurt you. All I want you to do is breathe, okay? That's all. You've been through a trauma and now you're panicking because the adrenaline's wearing off and everything's starting to feel real again. I know what that's like. It won't last forever. Just breathe with me. You'll start to feel better in a few minutes."

And to her shock, she _did_. It took longer than a few minutes, but after she got her breathing under control and drank some water, she managed to calm down enough to get through the exam in one piece.

Physically, she was okay. She didn't have a concussion, and the bruise to her cheek and eye along with a few cuts to her hands and knees were the only injuries she'd sustained. Bruce treated those with the utmost care and gentleness, and Aemilia and Sam watched over her all the while. Lizzie got ahold of herself after awhile, though her face was now a mess of ruined makeup and tear stains.

When Bruce offered to give Summer a mild sedative, she accepted with almost no hesitation. He gave her a small shot that took effect almost immediately, and she ended up falling asleep in his bed before she had a chance to even realize how sleepy the medicine had made her.

Sam picked her up and carried her to her room, feeling like he'd failed her as not just a bodyguard but also as a friend. Aemilia followed him and didn't leave Summer's side, full of anger and lingering shock that something like this had happened under the manor's roof and during Summer's party of all times. Lizzie let out a few more tears, wishing that her little girl had never been thrust into this life and the dangers that came with it.

Meanwhile, Rumlow was sent off in a car bleeding and unconscious, permanently damaged and on his way back to Russia as per Bucky's order. Frieda took over the party and maintained order, shuttling out all of the guests within the hour. The staff cleaned up the blood in the bathroom, and Lukas called Pierce in Russia to let him know what had happened.

Bucky, meanwhile, went to his bedroom and sat numbly on the edge of his bed, staring at the blood on his hands and stewing in anger and hatred that he knew might not ever fully leave him. He'd wanted to tear the man apart limb by limb, make him suffer the most brutally painful of deaths, but he had followed Summer's wishes instead. It was the least he could do for her, after having failed her so badly.

A text from Aemilia told him that Summer was currently sedated and sleeping. He asked her to let him know when she woke, then got up to finally wash the blood from his hands.

* * *

Summer slept for about two hours before she started to come back around. The medicine-induced nap worked wonders for her nerves, and when her eyes started to flutter open and consciousness return to her, she felt more like herself again.

There was no brief phase where she couldn't remember what had happened, no rushing back of memories once she opened her eyes. Instead, it was like the nap had been something of a time-out, and the memories were back with her the moment her brain came back online.

She was back in her own bed now, and when she sat up and looked down at herself, she realized that someone - probably Lizzie - - had gotten her out of her dress and into a loose t-shirt and pair of comfy pajama pants. She was grateful for that. She took a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair, then paused as she realized she wasn't alone in the room.

She slowly looked over and nearly expired of shock to find Bucky of all people sitting there in a nearby armchair, looking up at her with haunted and cautious eyes. He was still in his suit, minus the jacket and tie, and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. His knuckles on both hands were bandaged, but his left ones were bleeding through the gauze.

"I can leave," he said, breaking the silence. "If you'd rather have your mom or... I can go. I just... wanted to make sure you were okay."

... Maybe she was hallucinating. Maybe the mild sedative she'd been given hadn't been so mild after all. But then she thought back to the look that had been on Bucky's face back in that bathroom, the quiet horror and the rage, and she realized that this was in fact real, and that he really was sitting in her room and fretting over her state of mind.

"I'm... well, I'm not okay," she replied honestly. "But it could have been a lot worse. I guess I should feel lucky that he didn't actually..." she trailed off, not wanting to finish that sentence.

Bucky stood up, shaking his head and walking towards the bed. "No, you shouldn't. What happened was unacceptable."

She watched silently as he sat down on the side of the bed, just past her feet, rage still etched on his features. He turned his eyes on her, focusing for a moment on the bruise on her face that she knew had to look terrible, and he muttered, "If I had known that he was capable of this kind of thing, I never would have let him in my house. I knew he was a sick bastard but... I swear to you, I never thought you'd be in danger in your own house."

Something in those couple of sentences stood out to her. He called the manor _her_ house. Like she wasn't just a nuisance taking up space in his home, but rather someone who legitimately belonged there and could claim it as her own, just as a real wife of his would.

"It's okay," she told him quietly. "I don't blame you."

"You should," he muttered, looking away. His voice dropped so low it was nearly inaudible. "Can't ever protect fucking anyone."

She wasn't sure what that meant or where that came from, and she highly doubted he was going to share with her. Her eyes fell again to his wrapped hands, both of them bleeding through the bandages now, and she carefully slid out of bed and headed to her bathroom to grab a few supplies.

After she grabbed a few things from under the sink, she made the mistake of glancing up at her reflection in the mirror. She froze and stared at the ugly, dark purple blotches on her cheek and around her eye, unable to look away for a good few seconds. She'd never seen herself in such a state before, but she couldn't help but wonder how much of worse shape she'd be in had Bucky and the others not found her when they did,

Shuddering and forcing herself not to follow that train of thought where it would inevitably lead, she walked back out to the bedroom and sat down next to Bucky on the bed. He eyed her in slight confusion as she pulled out a roll of gauze, but she merely gestured to his hands and said, "You're bleeding."

He looked down and stared at his own hands as if he hadn't even noticed. Maybe he hadn't. She took his right hand first and started unwrapping the bandage, and they both lapsed into silence as she began her work.

It was comforting, somehow, having something to do and someone to care for. It might have been strange to sit this close to him and take care of him in any way at all, but so much had happened that day and it felt nothing short of right. After what he'd done to her attacker, the least she could do was patch him up and do what she could to speed along the healing process.

She'd never seen anyone be so unabashedly brutal as he had been. She'd never seen someone be stabbed or beaten, let alone within an inch of their life. And then to have a literal life or death decision placed in her hands... she was still reeling from it all.

She wanted to know one thing, however. As she wrapped up his left hand, she glanced up at him and asked, "What did you do to him? After I left?"

"You said you wanted to make sure he couldn't ever do what he did to anyone else," he replied quietly. "I made sure he can't."

... _Holy crap_. "Did... did you..."

"Trust me," Bucky said lowly. "He can't."

That was all she needed to know. Really, maybe she was better off without the details. She'd seen and heard enough that night to make eating difficult for some time to come.

"There," she said, finishing up and pulling her hands away from his. "Hopefully that doesn't start bleeding again."

He nodded, and she set the gauze and other items aside on her bedside table. She picked up the discarded bandages and got up to toss them in the trash, and when she came back, she sat down next to him again and let out a deep breath.

There were a lot of things that she wanted to say to him, even more that she wanted to ask, but she focused on one thing above the others. She looked up at him and took a steadying breath before telling him, "Thank you."

The words seemed to pain him. He frowned and looked away, shaking his head slightly. "He still hurt you."

"Not nearly as bad as he hurt other women," she replied, shuddering as she remembered some of his words. "He made it sound like he'd done it before. A lot. And he told me that he was doing it just to hurt you."

Unhidden rage flashed through his features. His jaw clenched and his eyes darkened, he looked like he could kill someone with the heat of his glare alone. And that made the quiet, almost shaky tone of his voice all the more surprising when he spoke next.

"I'm sorry."

She simply shook her head. "I still don't blame you."

He turned his head and looked at her in a quiet mixture of surprise and bewilderment. She just shrugged and looked down at her hands, realizing how ironic it was that she had spent all of this time being scared of Bucky hurting her when in reality, the real danger had lurked elsewhere. She believed now that Bucky, whatever his flaws and faults, would never hurt her. He wasn't like Rumlow. He was troubled and shut off and probably in need of a lifetime's worth of therapy to work out whatever had happened to make him who he was, but he wasn't a predator. Not like that. He had a soul, even if most of the times he didn't like to show it.

A knock on her door made them both look up. Sam then poked his head inside, telling Summer quietly, "Hey. Just checking on you."

She forced a small smile. "I'm okay. I think. I feel a little better now."

"Good," Sam nodded. "Your mom, she was kind of having a fit, so... Banner knocked her out, too. She's in her room sleeping now. Aemilia's downstairs helping Lukas take care of business."

"Okay," Summer nodded. Her poor mom. She was going to be a wreck for a long time over this, probably longer than Summer herself.

"I'll... let you get some sleep," Bucky said, standing up. He looked down at her then and seemed to be mulling something over before he said, "Tomorrow morning I want you to start training."

"... Training?" she repeated.

He nodded. "I want you to learn how to fight. I didn't think it was necessary before, but... it is."

Summer couldn't disagree. She nodded. "Okay."

He nodded back to her, then turned to leave. Summer watched as he walked past Sam and disappeared out into the hallway, looking like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Sam closed the door after him and sighed before walking to the armchair across from her bed and sitting down.

He was quiet for a moment before he looked up at her and said, "I'm sorry."

 _Oh man._ She couldn't handle everyone apologizing to her for something they couldn't have possibly stopped. "Sam..."

"I'm supposed to protect you," he said. "That's my job. And I let this happen."

"Well, it's not like I expect you to follow me to the bathroom every time I have to pee," she pointed out. "It was just... a really bad situation that came out of nowhere. Nobody's fault but his."

Sam simply shook his head and muttered, "No it's not." Then he took a breath and looked at her again, gently adding, "If you want, I can stay here tonight. Sleep on the floor or something, just so you're not alone."

She hadn't realized how much she needed that until he said it. "You don't mind?"

He scoffed. "It's literally the least I can do after I let you get hurt tonight."

She sighed but decided not to argue with him. She supposed she'd feel the same guilt if the roles were reversed. "Okay. Yeah, I think that would help a lot."

"All right," he nodded. "I can do that."

A short while later, Sam was on the floor amid a small nest of blankets she'd found for him, and Summer was back under the covers herself with the lights off and her thoughts moving through her head at max speed. While she didn't expect to sleep much that night, if at all, having Sam there with her made her feel exponentially safer than she would have felt had she been alone.

It took a few hours, but in time she did finally manage to drift off. Sam stayed up most of the night, too pissed off and angry with himself to sleep, and Aemilia peeked in on them twice to make sure everything was okay and that Summer was getting some much-needed sleep. Nobody got much sleep that night, including Bucky who didn't sleep at all.

Summer had no way of knowing just yet, but that night was a turning point in her life. Nothing would ever be the same afterwards, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. She would find out soon enough, once morning came and brought with it clarity and the new normal that she would have to adapt to.

But she was good at adapting and surviving. She'd proven that much already. Now it was simply time to prove it again.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey everybody! :D I honestly have no clue how Thursdays ended up being my update days, but hey, it's working so far lol and I am SO SO excited that you guys are still liking the story so far :D Last week's chapter was QUITE dark and kind of rough but we have a slight change of pace this week as we (well, Summer lol) deals with the aftermath. I loved writing this chapter and it's more fun than one might anticipate, so I hope you guys enjoy it too :D my huge and heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you and to midnightwings96 whom I adore and love and who is, as always, the best partner in crime that a writer could possibly ask for. Love you guys, and I'll see you next week! :D**

When Summer awoke the following morning, it was to a headache and the smell of coffee wafting through her bedroom. The headache was courtesy of the previous day's events, and the coffee was from Sam, who had been given the task of waking her up at 8 so she could officially begin her "training" at 9.

Thinking back to what had very nearly happened to her at the hands of a disgusting predator and feeling the bruise on her face ache as if to confirm that it had all really happened, Summer sat still under her blankets and sipped her coffee as she asked Sam, "So... am I in for as much misery as I think I am with this training stuff?"

"Probably," Sam nodded, sympathetic grin on his face. "I can tell you right now, it ain't gonna be no walk in the park."

She sighed and took another sip. "Any idea who's gonna be training me?"

"That, I don't know," Sam shrugged. "Depends on who the boss thinks you'll learn easiest from."

Well, this should be fun. Summer drained the rest of the coffee and quickly ate the small little pastry that Sam had also brought her, God bless him, and then she jumped into the shower even though it was slightly pointless, since she'd be sweating up a storm soon anyway.

The hour passed by quickly, and Sam had left her room by the time she emerged from the bathroom and decided to start rummaging through her clothes looking for something to wear. She really didn't know what to choose, but a sports bra was probably a necessity, and since she wasn't looking to impress anyone, sweatpants and a comfy old concert t-shirt was what she settled on.

She'd just pulled the shirt over her head when there was a knock at the door. She quickly made her way there and opened it up, then paused in surprise to find a certain petite and unfairly beautiful redhead on the other side.

"Ready?" Natasha asked, looking much more put together with her neat ponytail, little black shorts and just a red and black sports bra on top. As if Summer already didn't feel woefully inadequate.

"... Oh," Summer blinked, having not even considered Natasha as a possibility as to who would train her. They rarely spoke or even saw one another, and since Summer had been under the impression that she and Bucky were probably still carrying on their affair until Bucky had convinced her otherwise the night before, she definitely hadn't gone out of her way to try to get to know Natasha. "Um... I think?"

Natasha just barely smirked in amusement, looking her over quickly and saying, "Well, you're dressed fine. Get some shoes on and meet me outside in five."

"Okay," Summer replied, the word barely out of her mouth before Natasha had turned and sauntered off.

... Wait, _outside_?

After throwing on a pair of worn-out runners that she'd been wearing to the gym for the last three years during her sporadic visits, she left her room and headed down the stairs. She walked out of the main entrance and found Natasha waiting on the top step, stretching a bit and chatting with Sam, who was also there in running gear. Summer eyed them both warily and said with no hidden amount of dread, "Oh God. You're gonna make me run, aren't you?"

Natasha turned around and grinned before nodding. "Well, I can't just take you into the training room and throw you in the middle of it and hope for the best. We have to build your strength and endurance first."

"Great," Summer deadpanned. She _hated_ running. Hated it. "So, how far are we running?"

"Just around the property line," Natasha said, like it was no big deal.

Sam chuckled and said, "What she's not telling you is that it's about ten miles altogether."

Summer's eyes nearly fell out of her head. " _Ten miles_?!"

"It's not that bad," Natasha said, waving her off. "We'll be back before you know it."

Summer gulped, highly doubting that. "... And if I pass out around the five mile mark?"

"You won't," Natasha said with confidence that Summer didn't share. "Besides, just think of it this way. The sooner I whip you into shape, the sooner I can start showing you how to take down a room full of men who weigh twice as much as you."

Not sure if that was nearly as encouraging of a thought as Natasha meant it to be, Summer took a deep breath and nodded nonetheless. If this was how Natasha wanted to do it, Summer trusted her to know best. After all, she was absolutely terrifying and probably the most in-shape woman she'd ever seen in her life. Just her legs alone were absolutely breathtaking.

Before they got going, Summer had one question that she couldn't quite keep inside. As she quickly threw up her own hair into a messy ponytail, she fidgeted a little before asking the other woman, "So did you volunteer or did Bucky ask you to do this with me?"

"Last night, while you were with Banner," she replied, "I helped get Rumlow out of the building and into a car. We sent him back to Russia for Pierce and Strucker to deal with. And when I came back inside, Bucky pulled me aside and asked me to start training you today." She paused and then added, "He also made sure to tell me to let you sleep until at least 8."

Summer wasn't prepared for how much that little detail would touch her. It was so simple and seemingly insignificant, but the fact that Bucky wanted to make sure she got enough sleep to recover from her ordeal made Summer feel unexpectedly warm inside.

"He wouldn't have asked me if this wasn't extremely important to him," Natasha added. "Without trying to sound arrogant, I'm one of the best in the entire Bratva, American or otherwise. I was his main competition for Captain when Pierce retired. Any of the lower level guys could have taught you the basics. But they couldn't teach you what I can."

"Which is _insane_ ," Sam said. "She kicks my ass when we spar, and I know she's holding back. Woman's got thighs like a damn vise, almost took my head off last week."

Natasha smirked proudly. "It's my signature move. But we'll get to that later. For now, we run."

"Okay," Summer said, head spinning. Just the very suggestion of her one day being just half as badass as Natasha was so incredibly strange that she could barely wrap her mind around it. She'd never pictured herself learning how to fight beyond a simple self defense class here or there, and she wasn't entirely sure that she even _could_ do it. Maybe she'd be horrible at it and never get anywhere beyond the beginner's stage. Then again, maybe she'd surprise herself and actually be pretty good at it.

She'd find out later either way. For now it was time to run.

As the girls began their ten mile track, Sam trailed behind them and kept an eye on them and their surroundings, clearly not willing to take anymore chances with Summer and her security. Natasha had to slow down quite a bit for Summer's sake, but she didn't complain or act at all impatient. She followed Summer's lead and only pushed her as far as she knew she could handle.

After they'd been running for what felt like forever, Summer asked Nat while huffing and puffing, "This has gotta be like mile 5, right?"

Natasha merely smiled and replied, "We _just_ hit the two mile mark."

Summer groaned and kept going. She was might just die.

"So," she said, huffing and puffing, "did Aemilia get tortured like this too when she married Lukas?"

"Not sure," Natasha replied, breath much more steady. "He personally trained her, so I wasn't involved. She's good, though. They both are."

"Where are they, anyway?" Summer asked curiously. She hadn't seen them around the manor yet, and that was an occurrence.

"They left early this morning for some kind of appointment," Nat shrugged. "Aemilia checked in on you before they left. You were still sleeping."

That made Summer smile a little bit. She _adored_ Aemilia so much. She'd gone from her idol to an irreplaceable friend and support system, and _God_ Summer was grateful for her.

"All right," Nat said, zooming past her. "Time to speed up. Catch up with me."

Summer groaned and willed her very unhappy body to go faster. She took back what she said before - she was _definitely_ gonna die.

On the bright side, it was a nice, cool morning outside and the views were nice most of the time. It was also very private and much better than running on a treadmill in a stuffy gym, so there was at least _that_. Natasha also didn't mind stopping occasionally so that Summer could take enormous gulps of water and try to catch her breath, but she didn't let Summer give up until they'd finished the entirety of their run. And while Summer's sides were on fire and her legs absolutely hated her by the time the manor's front doors came back into view, she survived the entire run and celebrating by collapsing into a wheezing pile of soreness on the steps just beneath the doors.

"Oh my God, I did it," she gasped, lying on her back and wondering if her lungs would ever forgive her for what she'd just done to them. She was _covered_ with sweat, her entire shirt drenched, and her hair was just as damp as well. Natasha, on the other hand, seemed pretty dry overall, aside from her abs which were glistening in a way that was sexy instead of sloppy. Summer hated her a little for that.

"You did good," Natasha smiled, sitting next to her and handing her a bottle of water. "We'll do this again tomorrow and keep doing it until you can keep up with me. I'll also have you start weight training. Yoga's good too, especially for beginners. You'll need the flexibility for what's in store."

Summer groaned and drained half the bottle of water. "Oh God. You hate me."

Natasha chuckled. "No, I don't. Nobody does, as far as I know. Though to be honest," she added, "I didn't think you'd be okay with me training you."

"Why?" Summer asked, sitting up and leaning against the side railing. "I don't have anything against you."

Natasha shrugged. "I thought that it might be a little awkward."

"Oh. Because you and Bucky..." Summer gestured vaguely with her hand. "Yeah, no, I mean... maybe it would be if me and him were actually... together, but since we're not, I don't know. Doesn't bother me."

Natasha nodded. "You know, he told me what you said to him last night during the party, about how you thought he and I were still sleeping together. And it's true, what he told you. We haven't since we first got the news about you and the marriage."

Summer could still hardly believe that. "I just... assumed that since the marriage isn't real and you guys are obviously super close, that he wouldn't have much of a reason not to, you know? He's a guy and guys... have needs."

"We all have needs," Natasha wryly corrected her. "But he's not like that. And neither am I. And I wanted you to hear that from me, too."

"Well... thank you," Summer told her sincerely. "And I'm sorry for assuming otherwise. Wasn't fair of me."

"But understandable," Natasha assured her. "Most men I've met in my life are nothing like him. They wouldn't have cared, had it been them."

"I don't doubt that," Summer sighed. "So you guys really are as close as you seem, aren't you?"

Natasha answered that with a small smile and a brief story. "When I was first sent here from Russia, it was an experiment. Pierce wanted Bucky to take over for him when he retired. Strucker - who's in charge of _everything_ \- thought that I would be a better candidate. So they threw us together and figured whichever one of us who killed the other would get the job."

"... As in literally kill?" Summer asked.

Natasha nodded. "Officially, Bucky was meant to further train me and help me blend in here, lose my accent and think and act American. And he did those things very well. But the expectation was still there for one of us to eliminate the competition. We both certainly had the reputations to back it up."

"So what happened?" Summer asked. It wasn't often that she got detailed stories like this, and she was soaking up every word.

"... We're very alike," Natasha explained. "Instead of fighting to the death, we became partners. It was the last thing they expected, but we work very well together. And really, we were equally qualified for the job. He thought that I would get it, but I knew better. The old men back in Moscow aren't ready for a female Captain."

"... Oh," Summer said, mulling that over. "Wow. So then... if you had been made Captain instead, would I be married to you right now?"

Natasha laughed, and Summer grinned and laughed with her. "Well, isn't that a thought. But no, the leadership isn't nearly progressive enough for that. They probably would have given you to one of the higher ranked guys. Whoever expressed an interest and claimed you first."

Summer let out a deep breath. "Wow. That sounds... terrifying."

"Well, as you saw last night," Natasha replied, "Bucky is very protective of what's his. If you were going to be forced into a marriage with one of the single men in this organization... you were given to the best one by far."

"... I'm starting to see that now," Summer said, meaning those words. "At first I thought he wanted me dead and he was so rude and _mean_ but... I think things are better now. Especially after last night."

"I hope so," Natasha told her, her tone genuine. "And by the way, I've never liked Rumlow. He once got drunk and begged me to sleep with him. Said all kinds of vile things when I told him to go to hell. I don't even think he wanted me. He just wanted it so he could taunt Bucky. I'm sorry you had to experience what you did."

Feeling a little colder at the mention of Rumlow's name, Summer nodded and looked down at her hands. "He actually told me while he was... um... he told me he was doing it to hurt him, not me."

Natasha shook her head, her eyes flashing before she said, "Well, not that much of anything will make you feel better, but just in case it helps... I saw what Bucky did to him. I have a very strong stomach and I've inflicted my fair share of violence, but I've never seen anything quite like that."

... _Oh God_. Suddenly, Summer had to know. "Did he cut it off?"

Natasha furrowed her brows and replied, "He sort of... sawed at it and... stabbed it down the middle through the head and... I'm fairly sure most if not all of the nerves were severed. It was still attached, but barely. If he survived the flight back to Russia, I would imagine he's probably in surgery right now. And I would wager that he'll be peeing into a bag for the rest of his life, unless a miracle happens."

"... Oh my God," Summer said, eyes wide and stomach turning a bit as she processed that description. It was so brutal and disgusting and _disturbing_ but Rumlow had deserved it. And Bucky had done it for her, because she'd asked him to.

It certainly wasn't the conventional thing a husband would do for his wife, brutally disfigure and mutilate a man who had tried to attack her, but... she was grateful for it. At least now Rumlow couldn't hurt a woman like that ever again.

Not long after that, the conversation tapered off and Natasha suggested they head back inside. Summer nodded, head swimming still with disturbing images that she probably wouldn't be able to get out of her head for some time, and followed Natasha back through the front doors. What she found inside made her stop in her tracks and grow _heavily_ confused.

Bucky was there in the foyer, talking to someone who Summer personally knew and hadn't seen in a few years. She had to blink a few times and stare before she actually believed what she was seeing, and once she did, the man in question glanced over and noticed her too.

Summer blinked. "... Scott?"

"Summer!" Scott smiled cheerfully, though his face immediately fell almost as soon as her name left his mouth. " _Whoa_! What happened to your face?"

"I... you should see the other guy," Summer shrugged. "I thought you were in jail. And why are you here? And talking to... him?" she asked, her eyes flickering over to Bucky.

"... You know Lang?" Bucky asked, clearly surprised by what he was seeing.

"Oh yeah!" Scott replied, turning back to Bucky. "We used to date a long time ago. Well, not _that_ long ago. Before I went to jail. Which, again, sir, thank you for your help in getting me out. It was getting _ridiculously_ boring in there. Nothing but Dr. Phil to watch during rec time."

Bucky fought a roll of his eyes, and Summer looked back and forth between the two men in utter bewilderment. "Wait, wait, hold on. He helped get you out? Like broke you out?"

"Oh no, nothing like that," Scott replied. "He got me a lawyer who worked his magic and got me out three years early."

Summer's eyes widened and she blurted, "You're _in the mob_?!"

Scott smiled and scratched at his neck. "You know, I always wanted to tell you, but then something else would come up and I'd lose my nerve and then the whole, uh... jail thing happened, so -"

"How long have you _been_ in the mob?" Summer asked, everything making less sense the more that she heard.

Scott cringed and settled on, "... Awhile?"

"... So I dated a Bratva guy for a year, and then two years later, I married the fricking Captain," Summer surmised. "How is that even possible? Do I have a mob magnet on my head?"

"Oh, congratulations, by the way," Scott said, smiling at them both while Natasha watched in great amusement. "I would have come to the wedding, but I was... in jail, as I've already mentioned a couple times, so..."

Bucky raised an eyebrow and looked from his wife to Scott and back again. "You two _actually_ dated."

"Yes," Summer groaned while Scott beamed, as if he was rather proud of that fact.

Then Bucky did something she'd never seen or heard him do before. He cracked a joke. "Are you sure you weren't separated at birth?"

Scott's expression grew comically horrified. "Well, I sure hope not, because that would make _a lot_ of awesome things we did completely disgusting and unnatural."

" _Scott_ ," Summer hissed, eyes wide.

"What?" Scott said innocently, turning back to Bucky. "I'm just saying. We had sex. _A lot_. She's a _tiger_ in bed. But you already knew that, because... you guys are married now, so I'm sure you've, uh... you know... a lot."

Summer wanted the ground to open her up and swallow her where she stood. Her ex-boyfriend was talking vaguely about the sex they'd had during their year together in front of her husband and _his_ former lover, and she was fairly sure that the situation couldn't possibly get more awkward. But it did.

Scott leaned into Bucky and whispered proudly, "I taught her the reverse cowgirl thing."

" _Scott!_ " Summer squeaked. "Oh my God, shut up!"

"I know, I know, I need to shut up but I can't," Scott said, then gestured to Bucky. "He makes me nervous. And when I get nervous I vord-womit - I mean _word-vomit_ , you know that."

"Oh, you're definitely twins," Natasha grinned.

"I hope you two don't have kids," Bucky said, and Summer couldn't believe that he'd actually cracked a _second_ joke. At her expense. Of course. It just figured.

"Oh no, no kids," Scott replied. "Though not for lack of trying. And there I go again, I literally can't stop. I am so sorry."

"Please tell me you just came by to thank him for getting you out and that you're leaving now," Summer said desperately, wishing she had a roll of duct tape on hand so she could silence him the best way she knew how.

"No, actually, since I lost my apartment and everything when I got convicted, Bucky here - I mean, Mr. Barnes, sir, can I call you Bucky?"

Bucky rolled his eyes. "I don't care."

" _Bucky_ here offered to let me stay here awhile," Scott smiled. "In exchange for work, of course."

"... And by work you mean stealing things for him?" Summer guessed.

"... Well when you put it so _crudely_ -"

Bucky's phone rang then, and he pulled it out and glanced at it before looking up and telling Scott, "I've gotta take this. Jarvis'll get you settled in."

He then turned and hurriedly walked away, putting his phone to his ear, and Scott continued to babble words of thanks before he disappeared from view. Then he turned to find Summer glaring at him and Natasha looking remarkably entertained.

"What?" Scott asked again before frowning. "Okay, that bruise is awful. Seriously, what happened?"

Summer froze before Natasha unexpectedly came to her rescue. "I've been training her. And I'm not known for being the most gentle instructor, as you know."

Scott seemed to buy that, eyes widening before he replied, " _Yeah_ , I do know. It's a miracle I still have my head attached after that time you tried to kill me with your thighs."

"... Okay, how well do you _know_ everyone?" Summer asked, still hardly believing all of this.

"Pretty well?" Scott replied. "I mean, I've been doing jobs off and on for the Bratva for awhile now. About five years, not counting the last two I spent locked up."

"... Unbelievable," Summer muttered. "See, this is why we never would have worked even if you hadn't gone to jail. We spent a whole year together and you never bothered to say _hey, honey, guess what? I'm working for the Russian mob_!"

"Okay, I'm insanely curious," Natasha said, unable to help but interrupt. "How did you two meet?"

"Funny story there," Scott grinned. "So I was trying to break into this old man's apartment. He was supposed to be gone for the weekend, so easy mark. But I got the numbers mixed up and I broke into _her_ place instead."

Natasha raised an eyebrow and glanced at Summer. "... You dated your burglar?"

"I hit him over the head with a cast iron skillet," Summer said, recalling that night in great detail. "And when I went to call the cops he started apologizing profusely and giving me this sob story about how he had a daughter and lost his job, and that he was desperate because he couldn't pay child support and was going to lose visitation and eventually go to jail if he didn't figure something out."

"That was the truth, not a sob story," Scott said.

"So anyway, I felt bad for him - because I'm ridiculous - and then he started hitting on me extremely awkwardly and insisting that I let him take me to dinner to make up for the emotional trauma of breaking into my apartment."

"I thought he was broke and couldn't pay child support," Natasha said. "How could he pay for dinner?"

Summer sighed. "He took me to a restaurant his friend Luis worked at on $.50 taco night. He got them for $.25."

"... Smooth," Natasha remarked.

"Hey, those were some damn good tacos," Scott said, crossing his arms. "And four for a dollar? You can't argue with that. Besides, you agreed to go out with me again, didn't you?"

Summer scowled at him. "Maybe I wouldn't have if you'd bothered to mention your mob connections."

"You married a Bratva Captain!" Scott exclaimed. "It can't bother you _that_ much!"

"My dad sold me to the mob!" Summer replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "It's an arranged marriage. Duh!"

Scott suddenly froze and deflated a bit. " _Oh_. Shit. That sucks. That's _terrible._ I probably really embarrassed you talking about sex positions in front of him, didn't I?"

"Yes, _genius_ ," Summer said angrily.

"So then... do you guys not... you know..." Scott wiggled his eyebrows up and down.

"No!" Summer exclaimed, face red and burning. "Now stop asking me about it!"

"Fine! Calm down, geez."

"You two are adorable," Natasha grinned. "Though you probably _should_ get a DNA test."

"Listen, at this point," Scott shrugged, "if she turned out to be my long lost sister, I'd just rather not know. I mean, I really can't stress enough just _how much_ sex we had."

"... I'm going to kill you," Summer muttered.

"You already _did_ kill me," Scott replied. "A lot. And don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about. You remember."

As Summer glared at hm, Sam came in from outside and walked past them, glancing at Scott and saying, "Hey, Tic Tac. Bust out of jail?"

"Early release!" Scott grinned. "You guys have awesome lawyers."

"I'm gonna go take a shower," Summer announced, trudging off towards the stairs. "I have to wash my latest humiliation away before it permanently sinks into my pores."

"Meet me in the training room when you're done!" Natasha called after her. "We're not done yet."

Summer groaned. What a day this was shaping up to be.

Meanwhile, Bucky was in his office, seething with anger. The call that he'd gotten and had stepped away to answer hadn't been a good one, and he was currently contemplating massacring half the men on his payroll when his phone rang again and he picked it up without glancing at the caller ID. " _What_?"

"... Well, good morning to you too," Steve replied dryly from the other line.

Bucky paused and blinked. "Oh. It's you."

"Sorry to disappoint," Steve chuckled. "I've got some good news."

"I could use some," Bucky admitted, rubbing his eyes with his free hand.

"Bad day?"

Bucky sighed and leaned back in his seat. "Remember Brock Rumlow?"

"Yeah, you hate him," Steve replied. "What happened?"

"You don't wanna know," Bucky replied. "But I sent him back to Russia last night with about half of his dick cut off."

Steve was silent for a long moment. "Is... that a metaphor, or did you actually..."

"Not a metaphor," Bucky replied. "Fucker got what he deserved."

"... My God, Bucky. What did he _do_?"

"He did enough," Bucky replied. "And I had to stay here at the manor all night to take care of everything. We had a shipment coming in at 6 and I was gonna go, but... I stayed behind. Then I got a call this morning saying the shipment got fucking intercepted by the Triad. It was a _huge_ cache of weapons, Steve."

Steve groaned. "Dammit. Your guys couldn't hold them off?"

"My guys are worthless pieces of shit," Bucky groaned. "I might kill them when they get back."

"Don't do that," Steve sighed, as if he was telling Bucky to refrain from eating an entire cake or impulse buying a new sportscar. "Besides, I haven't given you the good news yet."

"What is it?" Bucky asked, doubting anything could even mildly lift his mood.

"I got a lead on a guy who, if my intel is correct, is the closest known associate of the man you've been looking for."

Bucky paused and blinked, sitting up a little straighter in his seat. "You mean -"

"Yes," Steve confirmed. "And you know I wouldn't mention it if I didn't think it was legit."

"Give me his info," Bucky said, scrambling for a pen on the utter mess of papers and other junk that was his desk.

"I need a little bit longer," Steve said. "Maybe another week or two. Just give me a little longer to flesh it out and then he's all yours."

Bucky paused, wanting to object but knowing that Steve wouldn't budge on this. "... Fine. But tell me the minute you can."

"I will," Steve replied. "You know I will."

Bucky took a breath, slumping back into his seat and wincing a little bit. His left shoulder hurt like a bitch and his back had been killing him for a few days, but neither of those things were anything new. Cradling the phone on his right shoulder and working out the knots on his left with his right hand as best as he could, Bucky muttered, "How's the office?"

He listened to Steve take a deep breath and chuckle, "Oh, you know. Same, I guess."

"You and Carter still dancing around each other like idiots?"

He could almost _hear_ Steve blushing on the other line. "Bucky, she's my _boss_."

"So? You say that like its a bad thing."

"It's not a _bad_ thing, but... no. I don't think anything's ever gonna happen there."

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Coward."

"Yeah?" Steve shot back. "How're things with your wife?"

Bucky frowned. "I don't wanna talk about it."

"Coward," Steve repeated playfully.

Bucky glared at his desk in lieu of being able to glare at Steve himself. "Remember Scott Lang?"

"... Who?"

Bucky sighed. "Remember the Christmas dinner a few years back where one of my guys met you and grabbed your muscles and felt you up?"

"... Oh, him," Steve replied. "Right. I thought he was in prison."

"I got him out. And apparently him and Summer used to date."

Steve paused. "What?"

"Small fucking world, I guess," Bucky muttered.

"You don't sound too happy about it."

"It's not that. S'just weird. They're basically the same person."

"And now they're gonna be living under the same roof?" Steve asked. "Sure that's smart?"

"It's no different than Nat living here and me seeing her every day," Bucky pointed out.

"Except you and her never dated," Steve pointed out.

"It's fine. I tr-" Bucky paused mid-sentence and furrowed his brows. Had he really been about to say that he trusted Summer? Perhaps on the surface it wouldn't have been a strange remark, but considering their arrangement, maybe it was. Besides, there was no telling how long he and Summer would be married, and he didn't expect for them to ever be intimate. Could he really begrudge her if she decided she _did_ want to occasionally hook up with an ex? She was a living, breathing woman, after all. She had needs like anyone else did.

Was it wrong that just the mere thought of that made him want to march out of his office and rip Scott's head off and shove it up his -

"I gotta go," Steve said, interrupting his train of thought. "Look, I'll call you as soon as I've got something concrete for you, okay?"

"Okay," Bucky nodded. "Yeah. Thanks, Steve."

"See you later," Steve said before hanging up.

Bucky dropped his phone back to his desk and let out a deep breath, leaning back again and closing his eyes as his thoughts swirled disjointedly through his head.

He wanted that lead from Steve. He also wanted to personally slaughter his team when they came back from losing the weapons shipment. He wanted to go to his room and crawl into his bathtub with the jets turned on as hot as they could go, until some of the aches in his body were more bearable. He wanted to threaten Scott Lang's life and make sure that he knew that if he ever tried to touch his wife, he'd be back in prison and at the mercy of the biggest, burliest, sexually deprived cell mate that Bucky could find. He wanted to call Moscow and see if Rumlow was still alive or just short an appendage.

He was also extremely tired and extremely frustrated. Moods like these where he simultaneously wanted to kill someone, fuck someone, take a nap, and maybe drink half a bottle of whiskey were never easy. They used to be manageable when he had the equally restless Natasha at his disposal, but now that he only had two helpers - his right and left hand - it wasn't nearly as bearable.

Sighing, he glanced at the time on his phone and decided he'd take out his frustration on the team when they made their way back. He'd toss them around like ragdolls until there was no doubt left in their minds just how pissed at them he was. Then once that was taken care of, he'd go retreat to his bathtub and let it take care of the aches and pains. Then he'd take care of something else in the process.

The problem was, all of that would only pass the time until probably 3 in the afternoon. Then he'd be right back where he started and back to feeling restless and hopelessly frustrated in more ways than he could count.

Another day in the life, he supposed. At least he got to bask in the glow of knowing that wherever Brock Rumlow currently was, he was in excruciating pain and quite literally half the man he used to be.

* * *

Later that day, when Lizzie found out that Scott was apparently involved in the Bratva and would be staying in the manor for the time being, she was both in shock and incredibly happy. Scott was, hands down, her personal favorite when it came to Summer's list of previous boyfriends (which was an incredibly short list), and they greeted each other with great enthusiasm. Summer was too busy in the training room with Natasha to witness this, though Scott and Lizzie did make it a point to go in and watch her experience the joy of her first day of weight training. Summer _might_ have flipped them both off at some point.

From that day forward, the structure of Summer's days changed. She had never been more busy in her life, waking up before the sun even rose to train with Nat, then get done in time to shower and dress and get to work at 9 every day. She was usually asleep by 10 every night, falling asleep the minute her head hit the pillow, and that alone made her rigorous new schedule worth it. She had no time to let anxiety get the best of her, no time to lay there in her bed and think about the attack that had caused her new training regimen to be necessary. It was still there in the back of her mind, and while she wasn't sure if she had really fully dealt with and processed it, her body and mind stayed occupied enough that she felt mostly okay during the aftermath.

Two weeks passed, and things were for the most part going pretty well, in Summer's view. Lizzie had calmed down following her own panic-fest following Rumlow's attack, and Summer and Bucky had thus far maintained their truce. He was always busy himself and often gone, but when their paths crossed they did so peacefully and without incident. Summer's bruise on her face faded, and her hard work with Natasha was paying off. The following week, they'd be able to start incorporating some actual basic defense lessons into their morning sessions, and Summer was actually looking forward to it.

But first, she had a weekend to enjoy. She was in her office Friday afternoon during that second week, wrapping up her work for the day when Aemilia poked her head through her open door and tossed her a big smile.

"Dinner tonight at 7," Aemilia announced happily. "Don't miss it."

"Oh, okay," Summer smiled back. "Wasn't planning on it."

"Oh, I'm sure, but this one's important," Aemilia grinned. "So whatever you do, be there and don't be a minute late."

Summer chuckled. "Okay, okay! What's the big occasion?"

Aemilia's smile widened but she played coy. "Oh, you'll see. And make sure Lizzie and Tony are there as well and not making out in his lab."

Summer's eyes widened. "... Wait, has someone caught them making out?"

"Well, not that I know of, but still," Aemilia shrugged. "I have to go! Remember, seven o'clock!"

"Will do!" Summer laughed as Aemilia disappeared from view. She turned back to her computer and hunkered back down, trying to get done a bit early so she could leave early and catch a short nap at home before it this Aemilia-mandated dinner would occur.

Meanwhile, Aemilia all but bounced to Lukas' office, where he and Bucky were currently talking. Bucky didn't often show his face at the office during normal operating hours, being a shadowy, scary figure and all, but sometimes he was forced to work a normal full workday, to his chagrin. This was one of those days.

Aemilia opened the door and peeked inside, grinning when the two men turned their heads to look her way. "Hello, boys! Dinner tonight at 7, don't be late."

Bucky looked up at her and frowned. "But... Steve just called me and has a lead for me that I've been waiting on for weeks. I was gonna go out tonight and -"

"Oh no, you can go and follow up tomorrow night," Aemilia decreed. "And call Steve back and tell him to come to dinner tonight too. Don't give him the option of saying no."

Bucky furrowed his brows. "But -"

"Dinner!" she snapped, still smiling. "No ifs, ands, or buts!"

"But this lead is..." Bucky fell silent when Aemilia narrowed her eyes at him and raised a single eyebrow, just daring him to challenge her. He stared at her for a moment, then glanced at Lukas, swallowed, and then turned back to Aemilia. " _Fine_."

She broke out into a silly, adorable smile and actually _clapped_ a little bit. "Good! Don't forget to call Steve!"

She then bounded off with a visible spring in her step, and Bucky turned back to Loki with a bewildered look on his face. "What's gotten into her?"

"Well, I could answer that," Lukas replied with a devilish grin, "but I have a feeling you already know my answer."

Bucky stared back at him, unimpressed. "You disgust me."

"Yes, well, naturally," Lukas shrugged.

"Seriously though, what's the big deal with the dinner?" Bucky asked.

"No idea," Lukas lied, "but if I were you, I would make sure that you and Steve show up on time. You don't want to face her wrath."

Bucky definitely did not want to do that. For a woman who was kind of tiny and one of the cutest human beings anyone could ever encounter, to make her angry was to face the fiery flames of hell itself. And Bucky preferred his skin attached to his body and not incinerated, if he was being honest.

Back at the manor, the staff was already preparing for the big dinner. They'd been instructed to go all out, and Aemilia had specifically requested three homemade carrot cakes. The head chef and baker each had no clue why this particular day required such a fuss, but they filled the orders nonetheless and the other staff members got the dining room ready for a full house.

Summer, meanwhile, did get home in time for a nap. She hadn't even changed out of her dress or kicked off her heels before she collapsed on to her bed and fell asleep, and what she meant to be a thirty minute nap at most ended up spanning two full hours.

At 6:45, the dining room was filling up and Summer was nowhere to be found and not answering her texts. Not happy with this, Aemilia pulled Bucky aside and asked him, "Have you seen your wife?"

He furrowed his brows, as if him of all people knowing of her whereabouts was an absurd idea. "No."

She pursed her lips and checked her watch, then said, "She might have taken a nap. Can you go get her?"

His eyes widened like a deer in headlights. "Me? But -"

"Yes, you! Now go, it's almost time!" Aemilia said, shooing him away with her hands.

"Time for _what_?" Bucky asked, still bewildered as to what all of this was even for.

"For dinner, silly!" she grinned, looking entirely too excited about a simple meal for something to _not_ be afoot. She ignored his suspicious gaze and gave his arm a slight push. "Go!"

He huffed but got moving anyway, mentally groaning and wondering why he had little to no ability to tell the woman _no_. It was quite annoying, if he was being honest, but he seemed to be helpless in the matter.

After the brief trip up the stairs and down the hallway that led to the wing that he shared with Summer, he quickly made his way to her door and knocked on it. It opened upon impact, and he furrowed his brows and peeked inside the room.

She was in the exact same position that she had fallen asleep in, face down on the bed with her high-heeled feet dangling off, arms spread limp over the mattress and hair covering some of her face. Bucky looked her over and sighed, glancing around as if someone might materialize and wake her up for him, but of course he had no such luck. There was only him, so he stepped closer and slid his hands into his pockets before sighing and muttering, "Summer."

She kept snoring. He repeated her name again, this time louder, and he still got nothing. Not even a twitch. He frowned and rolled his eyes, hesitating before leaning down and gently shaking her shoulder. "Summer. Wake up."

 _That_ did the trick. Her eyes flew open and she jolted up so fast that he actually jumped a little himself. She looked around the room wildly and exclaimed groggily, "I didn't eat the pickles! Don't fire me!"

He furrowed his brows and stared at her in bewilderment. "What?"

She blinked a few times and then focused on the man standing before her, her pickle-related dream fading from her consciousness. She realized that it was _Bucky_ the very same moment that she realized she'd been drooling and that her cheek was sticky, _and_ that her dress was slightly askew and the v-neckline had tugged to the left and was very inconveniently showing way more of her bra - and therefore boob - than she was comfortable with. And Bucky's eyes darted right down to her chest and then bounced back up and back down again before he finally just looked away.

 _Perfect_. Tugging at the dress back to normal with one hand and wiping at her face with the other - and dying of slight mortification - Summer started babbling. "Oh God, I'm sorry. Is it - what time is it? Why are you... uh..."

"Aemilia sent me up here to wake you," Bucky explained, allowing himself to look at her again now that she'd fixed her dress. "It's almost seven."

"Oh crap," Summer groaned, finally kicking off her shoes and hurrying to her feet. Half of her makeup was smeared and she was a sleepy mess, and she looked up a bit nervously at Bucky as she attempted to smooth her hair down. "Thanks for uh... thanks for waking me."

Bucky nodded, and they stood there staring at each other for one painfully long awkward moment before Bucky twitched and said, "I'll... wait outside."

"Okay," she replied, furrowing her brows as he began to walk away and head back out of her door. Why was he waiting for her? She obviously knew her way around the manor quite well by now.

It hit her after she changed her clothes and cleaned her face of the smeared makeup. He was being protective, and even though that seemed ridiculous on the surface since she was in his own house, it wasn't ridiculous at all after what Rumlow had done to her.

Just the fact alone that he had come to her room to personally wake her up for the dinner was almost bizarre, but then again, he'd said that Aemilia had sent him. Summer shook her head and brushed her hair out, thinking to herself what a dangerous and cheeky woman Aemilia was.

With only two minutes to spare until 7, Summer was changed and ready to go. She grabbed her phone and walked out of her bedroom door to find Bucky waiting in the hallway just as he'd promised. But as soon as he glanced at her rather casual attire of jeans and a comfortable black top, he asked, "You're wearing _that_?"

She looked down at herself and then back up in confusion. "Um... yeah? Is... there a problem with that?"

Bucky shrugged. "No. Just a lot of people downstairs."

"... Am I supposed to be dolled up all the time?" she asked, genuinely confused. "I mean, it's just _us_ down there, right? Should I change?"

He simply shrugged again and then started walking. She furrowed her brows and quickly shut her door, hurrying after him and asking, "No, seriously - should I change?"

"God, I don't care," he finally said with exasperation, keeping his eyes forward. "Wear fucking crocs if you want."

... Well, _that_ was just uncalled for. Summer made a face and then started miming his words mockingly, and because her luck was just the greatest, that was the moment he decided to turn and glance back at her. She immediately stopped but it was too late - he'd caught her making fun of him.

She paused and stopped walking, face going red with embarrassment as he narrowed his eyes at her. The nice thing was, at least, that she was no longer afraid of him. She didn't have to worry about him snapping her neck like a twig in response to her mocking. Instead, she took a breath and made a decision. "I'll be down in a minute. Tell Aemilia I won't be long."

She then pivoted on her heel and started heading back to her room. Bucky watched in confusion, eventually shrugging and keeping on his way.

 _Whatever_. He'd done what Aemilia asked, at least. She couldn't be mad at him.

After he made his way back to the dining room, everyone was seated with the exception of Aemilia, who immediately cornered him and asked, "Where is she?"

"I don't know," he shrugged, sliding into his seat. "Changing, I think."

"Why?"

" _I_ don't know," he said helplessly. "I have no idea what's going on in that woman's head."

"You rarely have any idea what's going on in _any_ woman's head," Aemilia remarked dryly.

Steve, sitting to Bucky's left, laughed. "Now if _that's_ not the most accurate thing I've heard all day..."

Bucky glared at him, and Aemilia chuckled and put her hand on Steve's shoulder. "Thank you for coming again, Steve, especially on such short notice."

Blushing a little and tripping over his words for a moment, Steve smiled up at her and managed to reply, "No problem. And thanks for having me."

Aemilia smiled back and then walked away, and after she was out of earshot, Bucky shot Steve a _look_. "You're pathetic."

"What? Why?" Steve asked innocently, still blushing.

"She's been married three years now and you still have a crush on her," Bucky pointed out.

" _Shut up_ ," Steve hissed under his breath. "I don't have a _crush_."

"Right," Bucky deadpanned. "And you don't want to bend Carter over her desk, either."

Steve choked on nothing but the breath in his lungs and sputtered, "Bucky, _God, stop_."

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Or maybe you want her to bend you over _her_ desk and -"

"Whoa," Steve suddenly said very quietly, eyes somewhere beyond Bucky.

"No judgement, man. Whatever floats your boat."

"No, Bucky, behind you," Steve whispered, trying to be subtle but, as always, rather failing. Bucky rolled his eyes but glanced over his shoulder anyway, only to freeze where he sat and stare just as unsubtly as Steve had.

Heels clicking on the floor beneath her, Summer was at last making her entrance, looking at something on her phone as she walked. She'd ditched her jeans for a black cocktail dress, but the heels were the first thing he saw. They were a deep blood red color, high and simple and sexy as _hell_ , and her dress was short but not too short and... well, _tastefully_ revealing along the top.

Of course, those weren't the words that sprang to Bucky's mind. In fact, no words came to his mind at all, because while he was more than aware that she was quite _busty_ , he'd never seen something quite so deliciously low cut on her.

And she didn't even know that those were his two great weaknesses. High heels and perfect, firm, shapely, smooth, _big_ -

"You're staring," Steve whispered. Bucky blinked and whipped his head back around so fast he pulled a muscle and immediately winced in pain.

Then Summer plopped down in the seat to Bucky's right, tossing him a pointed smile as she set her phone down and asked, "Better?"

Bucky simply glared at her and then looked away, trying not to burst a blood vessel in his forehead.

"Oh finally," Lizzie smiled, scooting a few seats down to sit next to her daughter. "Wow, you look great! Holy crap, _hello girls_!"

Bucky's left eye twitched. Trying to distract himself, he looked to his left and ended up noticing that his newest guest, Scott Lang, was currently staring slightly open-mouthed at Summer's rather prominently displayed... _assets_.

If he didn't look away in exactly five seconds, Bucky was going to pick up the butter knife next to his plate and throw it between Scott's eyes. He stared at him hard, giving his best and most terrifying murder glare, but Scott was too hypnotized to notice. He was undoubtedly reliving memories related to what he was looking at, and that idea alone nearly made Bucky make good on his mental stabbing threat.

Instead, however, Bucky cleared his throat. Loudly. Scott's gaze flickered over to him, and he immediately stiffened and blinked rapidly, flushing and mouthing _sorry_ as he openly cringed and sunk back into his seat, as if it would absorb him and save him from an untimely death. And for the rest of the dinner, Scott's eyes didn't wander back to Summer's chest once. He had good self-preservation instincts, at least.

Just about everyone had turned out for the dinner whom Aemilia had invited. The table was packed and lively, and Summer still had no clue why everybody was there and what the big deal was all about by the time the first course was halfway over. What she did know was that having everyone at the same table like that was a recipe for some rather entertaining conversation.

Also, everybody was beautiful and she couldn't take it. Steve in particular she found rather breathtaking; she'd only seen him once before at her wedding, and he had grown a quite impressive beard since then. He really was amazingly pretty, and she wondered if there was something in the water to thank for these people being so unfairly pretty.

Next to her, Lizzie was chatting with Tony and giggling at something that Bruce had just told them. She was in her element around these people in a way that frankly still amazed Summer, not because it surprised her but because it was such a huge change from how comparably stifled Lizzie had always been around Michael and his associates. She was so free and lighter now, and that made Summer incredibly happy for her. The Bratva certainly had its benefits, without a doubt.

"So," Steve said with a smile, breaking Summer out of her thoughts. "I hear you're a bigshot at Pierce now."

"Oh," Summer said with a small blush, "I don't know about _that_ , but -"

"Don't listen to her," Lizzie chimed in, waving a hand Summer's way. "She's on the same floor as the CEOs and everything. She's a badass."

Steve grinned in amusement at Lizzie's enthusiastic description, and Summer sighed and shrugged, "I'm just the event planner."

"Well," Steve said, "considering Pierce Consolidated is one of the largest corporations in New York... that's a pretty big deal."

"Exactly!" Lizzie nodded. "See, Summer, you should listen to him. He's pretty _and_ smart."

Steve, of course, grew flustered at that, but Summer did too, smiling all silly and blushing, and Bucky noticed. He shoved one of the small steamed vegetables on his plate into his mouth and scowled at her, and Summer looked at him and paled a little. She might not have been scared of him anymore, but it didn't mean he didn't make her nervous. He made her _very_ nervous.

Then Bucky turned his glare on Steve, who only widened his eyes in a _what did I do?!_ sort of way. Bucky merely groaned internally and reached for the glass of wine in front of him.

"Well anyway, it sounds like you're doing very well for yourself," a Steve added with a friendly smile to Summer.

"Well, I'm trying," Summer smiled back.

Natasha leaned forward from a few seats down, apparently listening in, and said, "It's true. She's even been training with me every day."

Steve's eyebrows lifted. "Really? Training?"

Summer shrugged and said, "It's... mostly just running and weight lifting and stuff right now, no big deal, but -"

"Oh dear God," Aemilia sighed, joining in the conversation. "Can you stop selling yourself short for five minutes?"

"Well, but it's true!" Summer argued. "It's very basic right now. No crazy ninja moves yet."

Steve chuckled. "Well, I know what that's like. When I joined SHIELD I could barely walk a block down the street without huffing and puffing a little."

Staring at the rather large man those words were coming from, Summer asked in disbelief, "Really?"

"Oh, it's true," Lukas interjected. "He was a scrawny little thing until he started working for the government. Then over the course of a year's worth of training, he suddenly sprouted more than half a foot and gained probably a hundred pounds of pure muscle."

Summer's eyes widened as she turned back to Steve. "Steroids?"

"It's classified," he tossed back with a grin. "But no. No steroids."

"I still don't buy it," Lukas replied, then glanced back to Summer. "This man used to get ragingly drunk off of one beer and a half and weigh less than the average Girl Scout."

"I did _not_ get drunk that easily," Steve argued.

"Oh, really?" Lukas chuckled. "Have you forgotten that one weekend of debauchery you spent with James and myself in college?"

Summer's ears perked up instantly, and Lizzie asked the question on everyone's - well, Summer's - mind. "What kind of debauchery?"

"I'm guessing threesome," Tony said. "Who was the girl?"

"Oh my God," Steve groaned, and Bucky rolled his eyes.

"I'd have made them both my bitches, but that's beside the point," Lukas said smoothly, and Aemilia started giggling adorably next to him. He smiled at her and then explained, "No, it was your average drunken college weekend. And I specifically recall one night where you had one beer and two tequila shots and proceeded to challenge every man in the room to fight you."

Steve shrugged. "In my defense, I would have done that sober."

"Idiot," Bucky muttered. He said it with such affection though that Summer glanced at him and was surprised to see the unguarded sentiment in his eyes.

"Yes, well, after you managed to piss off bartender, we were thrown out and then had to drag you to the next bar, where half of the football team happened to be."

Steve furrowed his brows before his eyes widened and he groaned with dismay. "Oh God. Please don't make me remember what happened _after_ that. I'd almost forgotten and now you just brought it up again."

Lukas laughed devilishly, reveling in Steve's discomfort, and Bucky told Lukas, "Go easy on him. He'd never walked in on two guys fucking before."

Summer choked on her wine and coughed out hoarsely, " _What?!_ "

Down at the other end of the table, Frieda sighed and said, "Must I be subjected to such tales at the dinner table?"

"I'm sorry, mother," Lukas grinned, pointing to Bucky. "He said it, not me."

Bucky gave Frieda a contrite look, and Summer's eyes shot around the table wildly. She _had_ to know this story. She looked at Lukas pleadingly and he sighed, leaning closer to her side of the table and speaking quietly enough so that his poor mother wouldn't be tortured with the details.

"A few of the football players came back to my apartment for more drinks after the bar closed down," Lukas said, Summer and Lizzie hanging on his words as Aemilia smiled and enjoyed hearing the familiar story. "It was probably nearly four in the morning when Steve, who as I mentioned was a ridiculous lightweight, began frantically looking for a bathroom to throw up in. He opened the wrong door and walked in on me fucking the supposedly straight quarterback."

Aemilia giggled again, and while Summer and Lizzie's jaws hit the floor, Steve groaned miserably, "The guy literally was saying ' _oh yeah, give it to me, daddy'_!"

"And I, being a polite and generous man, was giving it to him," Lukas grinned back. "What's so horrifying about that?"

"... It was just unexpected, that's all," Steve said, still a little flustered. "And it's an image I can't forget no matter how old it is."

"Glad to hear it was such a memorable experience," Lukas said cheekily.

"So," Natasha said, raising an eyebrow in Lukas' direction, "Daddy kink, huh?"

He shrugged and waved a hand. "Not me, not really. The quarterback was obviously another story."

"Kinda weird, isn't it?" Tony asked. "I mean, I don't judge, but I just don't wanna be going at it and then suddenly be reminded of my dad."

"I'm fairly sure that those with that particular kink find that it has nothing to do with their actual fathers," Lukas chuckled.

"Still weird," Tony shrugged.

"S'not weird."

Summer, whose eyes were possibly forever frozen in the wide-open expression they'd had for quite awhile now, felt an inexplicable jolt inside when she realized that _Bucky_ had uttered that last sentence. All eyes shifted to him, in fact, and he simply flicked a brow up dismissively and said, "Kinks are harmless. Most of them, anyway. People like what they like."

He then took a drink of his wine, and Summer didn't realize that she was staring until his gaze flickered her way and caught her. She immediately looked away, cheeks catching fire, and she didn't understand why she suddenly felt like she was going to combust where she sat.

"... I hope that doesn't mean you get turned on when I call you Murder Daddy," Tony then said, "because I never meant to feed a secret kink of yours. Scout's honor."

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Fuck off."

"Good, good, just making sure," Tony nodded.

Then Scott poked his head into the conversation and asked, "What's going on?"

Natasha sighed. "Steve once walked in on Lukas banging the star quarterback when they were in college, Tony does not have a Daddy kink, and Summer and Lizzie have both gone catatonic."

"What?" both women instantly squeaked, and everyone laughed save for Bucky, who possibly never laughed ever in his life.

Scott then nodded and said cheerfully, "Oh, okay. Thanks for the update, Nat."

Natasha nodded and sipped her drink. "Happy to help."

Summer was reeling for a number of reasons. Firstly there was Lukas, who apparently played for both teams and was quite gleeful about it, and that made him only more astonishingly perfect in Summer's eyes. Paired with the way that Aemilia laughed and seemed to love hearing about his old adventures, Summer was becoming so incredibly envious of them - in a good way - that she could hardly stand it.

And then there was Bucky, who continued to confound her and make her feel more strangely than any single person ever had before. He never said a lot, it seemed, but when he did speak, he spoke words that always left her feeling either off-kilter or surprised. But it was the way that their eyes had connected for that split second after the fact that made her entire body go up in flames.

She told herself to get over it and cool off before someone - like him - noticed how red she was. Luckily, the conversation turned to less threatening territory soon after, and then their dinner party gained its last invitee - Thor, who hurried into the room and apologized for being late, saying that his job as head of security for Pierce Consolidated had kept him held up.

Aemilia seemed to light up once he had arrived and sat down, and Summer noticed how she then turned to Lukas and began whispering excitedly to him. He smiled and whispered something back, kissing her forehead and sharing a secret little laugh with her, and Summer could have swooned watching them. She also couldn't help but wonder what had them so giggly and excited.

With Thor finally there and quickly scarfing down his portion of dinner as dessert was served, Summer and everyone else at the table took notice when Aemilia smiled and cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. With Lukas' encouragement, she stood up and he followed suit, and Summer wasn't sure that she'd ever seen Aemilia look so nervous before.

"Um," she began quietly, looking all around the table and still smiling widely, "so... most of you are probably wondering why I was so adamant that you come here tonight for this particular dinner. I've been terribly mysterious about it all day, and I want to thank each of you for coming. It truly means a lot to me - to myself and Lukas both - and..." she paused and smiled, blushing a little bit as she nervously tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and admitted, "My goodness, I hardly know what to say."

Lukas smiled and brought an arm around her shoulders, the encouraging touch prompting her to take a breath and go on. "The truth is, this dinner _is_ quite a special occasion for us. We have a little bit of a secret that we've been keeping for some time now, but the truth is that neither of us can hold it in any longer. Every person at this table - each one of you - are our family, and..." She paused, tears stinging her eyes. She took a deep breath and smiled again, glancing up at Lukas.

He brushed a kiss on her forehead and smiled sweetly. "Just tell them, darling."

One more deep breath later, her eyes scanned over all of the faces before her before she exhaled and smiled, "I'm pregnant."

Summer's mouth fell open and she actually audibly gasped. For a moment, the table was quiet as those two little words settled into the atmosphere. Then, the best kind of chaos erupted.

Thor was the first one out of his seat, face lit up with absolute delight and boundless joy as his arms swallowed his sister-in-law up in one of the most intensely huge hugs of her life. He even spun her around a bit in mid-air, laughing and happily exclaiming that he was going to be an uncle at last as Lukas looked on with pride. Then Frieda got up and claimed Aemilia next while Thor crushed his brother's bones with his own hug. Frieda whispered to Aemilia that she'd known all along - a mother's intuition and all - and they

hugged for nearly a full minute.

The table was exploding in cheers and words of congratulations and smiles all around, and as the couple was mobbed, Summer stayed in her seat and waited for it all to die down before she got up to flail herself. After all, she was the newest addition to the family, so she figured it was fair if she went last.

They were having a _baby_. Summer was melting from the inside out, a sucker for babies and all baby-related things already, but this was just absolutely _perfect_. Lukas and Aemilia made such a remarkable couple, and they'd undoubtedly make equally successful parents. And clearly, this new little baby of theirs was already loved by a whole lot of people.

Summer looked away only when she noticed movement on her other side. It had been Bucky getting up and out of his seat, and Summer had a front row view as he then walked to Aemilia and tugged her away from Frieda.

What happened next stunned Summer into a shocked silence. Bucky smiled - he _smiled_ , real and genuine and affectionate and _beautiful_ \- and as he pulled Aemilia into his arms, he told her quietly and sincerely, "Congratulations, Mia."

 _Mia_. Summer thought that she might have heard him call her that once before, though she couldn't be sure, but there was no mistaking it now. Nobody else ever called her that, and clearly there was quite the bond between the two of them. It was obvious in how they hugged each other and then how Aemilia asked with a watery smile as she pulled away, "Ready to be an uncle?"

He smile grew bigger and he shook his head, briefly cupping her cheek in a familiar, friendly gesture. "God help that poor kid."

Aemilia giggled, and the way that Bucky smiled back at her left Summer utterly and completely stunned. His smile was so perfect and his sincerity without question, and he was like an entirely different person in those moments. He didn't look like a scary Bratva Captain or paid killer or intimidating corporate player - instead, he just looked like a mostly normal, young, caring man, unbelievably happy for two of his closest friends in the world and their good news.

Bucky hugged Lukas next, and Summer watched their little moment just as closely. Usually, in the past when she'd seen guys hug each other, it was a hyper-masculine display where there was less embracing and more a mutual harsh slapping of each other's backs, but these particular two men didn't hug like that. It was simply a normal, comfortable embrace, and Bucky murmured something in the middle of it that made Lukas grin and then laugh before they pulled apart.

That was when Summer looked away and let out a breath. Her thoughts were swirling through her head somewhat disjointedly and she was starting to feel increasingly like she was intruding on a private, happy moment when suddenly there was a tug on her arm and she was unexpectedly pulled to her feet.

Any thoughts of being the odd one out were obliterated as Aemilia squealed and pulled her into a hug, exclaiming happily, " _I'm having a baby!_ "

Summer giggled with her clearly elated friend and she hugged her back, replying breathlessly, "My God, congratulations! I had no idea! It all makes sense now why you've been so excited all day."

Aemilia pulled away, that huge smile seemingly stuck to her face. "I've been going crazy all day! Lukas and I had our first ultrasound this morning, and we just couldn't hold it in any longer."

"Oh! How long have you known?"

"About a month," Aemilia grinned. "We just... wanted to wait to tell everyone until I was a little further along, and initially we thought 12 weeks would be a good time to tell, but then today once we saw the baby for the first time... we just couldn't hold back another minute."

"Oh my gosh," Summer smiled, tears nearly stinging her eyes. God, she loved babies. "So you're how far along?"

"8 weeks," Aemilia replied. "Oh! Hold on," she said, reaching for her phone and grabbing it from the table. "I took a picture of the ultrasound photos."

Word spread like wildfire, and suddenly Summer was being squished against Aemilia by Tony and Lizzie who were peering to get a look at the picture. Thor and Frieda was on Aemilia's other side, along with Lukas and Bucky, and there was a collective _awww_ when Aemilia pulled up the picture of the little bun in her oven.

"Oh, how perfect," Frieda gasped with pride.

"It's an adorable little shrimp!" Thor laughed.

"Kinda looks like a lizard," Tony opined, and Lizzie smacked his shoulder.

"That's not a lizard," Lizzie said. " _That_ is a sweet little baby."

"A baby shrimp!" Thor added with another booming laugh.

Natasha squeezed her way into the group next, and then Sam and a few others followed, all adding their own unique commentary, and the only one who remained silent was Bucky. But Summer looked his way more than once, and the way that he gazed at the picture was unreadable but... significant somehow. There was something almost sad in his eyes, and while she didn't know him nearly well enough to decipher that look or draw any conclusions, it served simply as confirmation that there was far, far more to him than she ever would have guessed.

As Lukas and Aemilia's little family grew, Summer found herself unexpectedly in the middle of a new one of her own. It became clearer than ever that night as everyone celebrated the happy news and included Summer and her mother both in the festivities - this truly was her life now, her world, and slowly but surely, these people were becoming _her_ people.

And the longer that she spent with those people - including even her husband, as mystifying and closed off as he was - the less that such an idea frightened her. Maybe she was losing her mind or experiencing some odd form of Stockholm Syndrome, but maybe this was actually a place where she could belong. Maybe, in time, this could be a real home and a real family, in every way that counted.

For the first time, she truly _wanted_ that.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Heyyyyy everyone! It's Thursday, so you know what that means :D weee! I had like an ENORMOUS amount of fun writing this chapter and I'm really excited for you guys to read it, so I'm gonna jump to the two things I've gotta address before I can shut up and hope for the best :D**

 **First! A lovely anon asked what actress I would cast as Summer, and to answer this question let me first begin with a small story lol. I wondered this very question for a long time and couldn't really find anyone who really nailed what I envisioned. Then when I went to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens at the movies last year, I sat down and within maybe two or three minutes of when Rey first appeared on the screen, all I could think was "THERE! THAT'S MY SUMMER KSKSKSKD" lol. I absolutely adore Daisy Ridley, and I think she'd capture the essence of Summer beautifully. She's stunning when she's all dolled up and also still stunning when, like in TFA, her hair is back and there's barely any makeup on her face, and her personality and her smile is just... perfect, IMO, for Summer. (I hinted at this in the epilogue for LAD, where Bucky tells her she kinda looks like the "girl from Star Wars :D) Body types are different (since Summer's more Hayley Atwell in the boob department lol) but still, Daisy all the way :D Fingers crossed that one day her and Seb will star in a movie together and kiss so that I may die a happy and thoroughly fulfilled woman. LOL.**

 **Second: I have a question to pose to you lovely readers :) in this chapter Summer and Scott's history is discussed a bit more and in writing it I realized how much I absolutely love writing them and how adorable I find them lol, so the idea occurred to me to write a oneshot detailing their previous relationship, just for funsies. So my question is, would anyone want to read that? Obviously Summer and Bucky are OTP all the way lol (and my God, I love you guys so much who feel that way too) but I think it would be a fun little thing to do. I've got a LOT of other stuff on my plate so I probably wouldn't get to it for awhile, but I'm just wondering if there'd be any interest :) let me know! And I hope you guys enjoy this chapter :D thank you all so much for your reviews and follows and loyalty, and as always, my heartfelt and eternal thanks to midnightwings96 for keeping me on track with this story and keeping me sane in the process :D seriously guys, she's the best and I can't even begin to convey how different and a mess this story would be without her. Actually, it wouldn't exist because it was her idea in the first place. LOL.**

 **Oh and one more thing - spoilers for Crimson Peak lay ahead lol. That's right, Crimson Peak. It'll make sense once you get there lol.**

 **Anyway, love you guys! See you next week! :D**

Lying on her back on the floor, having just been knocked there by her rather enthusiastic trainer, Summer groaned and squeezed her eyes shut in despair. " _Owww_..."

"Sorry," Natasha chuckled, standing over her student with an apologetic smile. "I'll admit, that one was pretty hard."

Summer groaned and stared up at the ceiling. Her arm hurt, her knees hurt, her head hurt, _everything_ hurt and it was all pointless because she was convinced that it was all for nothing. "I'm not getting any of this. I'm not getting any better. I _suck_."

"We've only been doing this for two weeks," Natasha chuckled, taking a seat on the floor next to where Summer was sprawled out. "You're doing fine. You're where you should be."

Summer sighed and turned her head to peek up at Natasha. "But how long until I stop sucking? Because much more of this and I'm just gonna give up and take up knitting instead."

"Not an option," Natasha smirked. "Just try to be patient. I know it's a frustrating process, but look at it this way - when we got started, it only took me about half a second to knock you on your ass. It takes me about six now."

Summer glared at the other woman. "Is that supposed to encourage me?"

"Yes, actually," Nat said, giving Summer's shoulder a tap. "Anyway, that's enough for today. I've got a meeting to get to, so I'll cut you loose early."

Summer exhaled in relief and sat up, wincing a little at the various aches and pains that she was dealing with. "Oh thank God."

"It really will get easier as we go on," Natasha assured her. "And keep in mind that I'm not the easiest teacher one could have. This is _supposed_ to be hard."

"Remind me again why my wonderful husband stuck me with you?" Summer asked playfully, taking Nat's hand as she helped her up. They'd been doing this every day for a month total now, and she got along surprisingly well with the otherwise terrifying redhead. Natasha had a dry, wicked sense of humor and skill that made Summer both afraid and in awe at the same time.

"Because I'm the best," Natasha smirked. "And he knows that I'll get the job done better than anyone else."

"Well... I'm sorry that you got stuck with me," Summer replied, stretching her arms behind her back. "You must be even more miserable than I am."

"Not so much," Natasha shrugged. "I like your company. Exponentially better than the typical trainees that I'm used to getting."

"... Annoying dudes?" Summer guessed.

"There's always that one idiot in the group who tries to grab my ass or look down my top," she sighed.

"What do you do to them?" Summer asked, suddenly incredibly curious.

"It varies. Broken wrist," she said. "Dislocated shoulder. Broken nose. Kick to the balls hard enough to make them puke. Whatever I feel like, really."

"... That's awesome," Summer grinned. "I mean, you're so... _tiny_ and yet you're the most terrifying person I've ever met. Well, aside from Bucky."

"Thanks," Natasha grinned back. "I take that as a compliment."

After a few more casual words exchanged between the two women, Summer gathered up her water bottle and small towel that she threw around her shoulders and headed out of the training room. It was fairly early in the morning on a Saturday, and as she contemplated what to do next - take a shower and then crawl back into bed or take a shower and go see if Lizzie or Aemilia were up to anything interesting - her thoughts began to wander to much less pleasant territory.

While she had been doing a very good job at staying busy since she'd been attacked by Brock Rumlow, some days it was nearly impossible for her to not think about why she was training every day in the first place. She was working so hard to get into shape and learn what Natasha was teaching her, and when she told her that she was the most terrifying person she'd met, she had quickly and silently realized that wasn't entirely true. Rumlow held that title and, she suspected, always would.

As she walked up the stairs to her room, she tried her best to push those thoughts away and failed. She really hated moments like those and tried so hard to avoid them, but sometimes it was just impossible. Though she could usually hold it together, sometimes it was almost like she could feel his hands on her again, feel the blow to her face that had left her bruised, hear his despicable words and the sound of his breath in her ear, the memories tinged with terror that she'd never felt in her life until that particular night.

Her stomach was forming a knot by the time she was halfway to her door in the hallway. Her ears were starting to heat up, an odd telltale sign of an impending anxiety attack, and _God_ she hated this. She just wanted to forget and move on, forget that Rumlow even existed, just forget that he'd ever cornered her in a bathroom and ripped her dress and tried to -

Suddenly, from behind her, someone was touching her. She stopped in her tracks and fear gripped her like a block of ice, washing over her and making her eyes go wide and brain act on instinct even though all the person had done was poke her sides and say _boo_. She didn't register that - all she knew was terror and the instinct screaming at her to _fight_.

So she did. Her body remembering what Natasha had been teaching her, she whipped around and knocked the foreign pair of hands away and then punched her target squarely in the face. The man immediately let out a shocked wail and hit the ground, and as pain bloomed in her hand and shot all the way up her arm, she realized with horror that she had just possibly broken her ex-boyfriend's nose.

She slapped her hands to her mouth. " _Scott_! Oh my God!"

" _Holy shit,_ " he groaned, cradling his now-bloody nose and squirming in pain. "The hell was that for?"

"I... you scared me and I was - I thought - oh my God, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?!" she asked frantically, kneeling down and trying to get a closer look at the damage she'd inflicted. Her heart was pounding and her stomach churning, and she felt a wave of nausea wrack through her when he pulled his hand away. It was definitely broken.

"... Probably not," he replied, wincing. "I knew you didn't like being scared like that, but I didn't think you'd break my face over it."

"... Neither did I," she said, nearly on the verge of tears. In fact, she felt herself quickly approaching hysteria, and her guilt levels were multiplying at an alarming rate. "Oh God. I'm so sorry. Just - just stay here and I'll find the doctor, and -"

"... What in God's name happened?"

Summer looked up to find Aemilia rushing their way, apparently having heard the commotion. Scott managed to sit up as he wiped at the blood on his face and she explained, "I - Scott came up behind me and scared me and I thought he was... I don't know but it freaked me out and I just panicked and I think I broke his nose."

"Oh dear," Aemilia said, face the picture of concern as she surveyed the damage.

"I'm fine," Scott said, waving both women off. "Really, I am. I've gotten this thing broken twice before so I'm pretty much used to it by now."

Summer was too far gone to even comprehend anything happening in front of her. Aemilia helped Scott stand up and then told him where in the manor to go to find Dr. Banner, but Summer stayed kneeling on the floor and descending deeper into a guilt and fear-fueled panic attack. Her hand was _killing_ her and her limbs were shaking, throat tightening and her breakfast threatening to come back up, and while she was at least in some level aware that she was _hideously_ overreacting to what had been nothing more than an accident, she had no control over any of it. She was like a passenger in her own body for a little while, and Scott and Aemilia quickly took notice.

Scott looked down and widened his eyes at the sight of Summer still knelt on the floor, tears now streaming down her cheeks as she visibly shook. "Oh God - Summer, what - don't cry! Shit, please don't cry. You know when you cry I cry and then we're all crying and -"

Aemilia knelt down in front of Summer and gently placed her hands on her shoulders. "Summer? Summer, can you hear me? Are you all right?"

Summer shook her head and started babbling, still trying not to throw up. "I was thinking about - about _him_ and I was starting to... I could feel it coming on and then Scott scared me and I just panicked 'cause all I could think was I don't want to get hurt again and," she paused, letting out a small sob and a gasp. "Oh God, I can't breathe."

"Yes you can," Aemilia assured her as Scott watched in pure confusion. He knew nothing of Summer's ordeal at Rumlow's hands, but Aemilia knew exactly what was going on and what Summer was trying to say. "Slow breaths, darling, slow breaths. Come on, stand up. I've got you."

Leaning on Aemilia, Summer stood up and made the mistake of looking at Scott and his bloody face again. "I'm so sorry," she started babbling, still crying rather uncontrollably. "I didn't mean to hurt you, I swear, I just -"

"It's okay," he assured her, expression caught between horror and sheer bewilderment. "My God, Summer, _what's wrong_?"

Aemilia turned and told Scott, "Listen, I know you mean well but right now you're making it worse. Go find Bruce and get patched up. You can come back and check on her after she's calmed down, okay?"

Scott nodded and watched helplessly as Aemilia walked Summer down the hall, towards the rooms that she shared with Lukas. Summer needed a better, quiet environment to calm down in, and right then, that was Aemilia's room.

To Summer, everything was sort of spinning and almost dreamlike. She was still trying to catch her breath, trying to see through tear-blurred vision and think with her panic-muddled brain, and none of it was coming easy. Her thoughts were racing, memories of Rumlow's attack mixing with the pit of dread in her gut and the ache in her hand, the guilt and horror when she'd seen what she did to Scott just because he'd startled her, and there was _so much damn noise_ in her head that it almost seemed as if it would never stop.

But, as panic and anxiety attacks always eventually do, the feeling soon subsided. By the time she felt like she could breathe a little more normally again and her mind had slowed back down to a more regular pace, she managed to blink and focus her vision on the room that she was now sitting in. She barely even remembered being led into the suite, let alone being sat down on a comfortable couch and handed a glass of orange juice, but it was the cold of the glass that brought her back to reality.

"Go ahead," Aemilia said, sitting next to her on the couch and running a soothing hand on her back. "Take a drink. It'll help."

Surprisingly, it did help a little. Doing something as human as sipping juice from a glass felt good and reminded her that she was real and still breathing despite the terror that had overcome her only moments before.

She let out a deep breath and lowered her head, closing her eyes. "Oh my God, I actually lost my mind."

" _No_ ," Aemilia smiled a little. "You still have your mind. You only had a panic attack. A rather severe one, I suspect."

Summer set down the glass and dropped her face into her hands. " _My God_. I've been doing so good, too. I've been staying busy and not thinking about it - not thinking about _him_ \- and then I slip up for five minutes and I completely freak out and break Scott's nose."

"Well, Summer, holding it inside and burying it isn't going to help anything," Aemilia told her gently. "In fact, that's the worst thing that you can do. I would know. I've had my own problems with anxiety over the years, trust me. And staying busy and ignoring it is only a bandaid. You need to talk to someone about it."

Summer looked at Aemilia in surprise mixed with despair. Aemilia seemed so perfectly put together and in control at all times, and to know that even she had her issues with anxiety was both disheartening and encouraging in odd ways. "You have anxiety, too?"

Aemilia nodded. "Certain... events triggered it some time ago. It wasn't a very pleasant time."

Summer nodded, wondering what those events were but not willing to ask at the moment. "I've been this way all my life," Summer muttered, looking down at her hands. "Seriously, since I was like 8 or 9. It gets better and worse but it's always there. And _this_... the thing with Rumlow, it's just... it's screwing with my head so much and I feel so stupid because he didn't even _do it_ , you know? Like, women are raped every day and they get up and keep going. I didn't go through what they did, so I should be able to just put it out of my head and -"

" _No_ ," Aemilia said immediately and surprisingly sternly, "no you should _not_. Don't do that. Don't act like what you went through was nothing, because it wasn't nothing. It was terrifying and traumatizing and just because he didn't succeed doesn't mean he didn't damage you."

Tears stinging her tired eyes again, Summer turned to her friend and muttered, "I don't wanna think about it or him anymore. I try so hard not to and it doesn't work and I just..."

"Listen," Aemilia said, putting her hand on top of Summer's, "you shouldn't dwell on it, but you do need to process it and accept it. It's never going to go away. It's a part of your history now and who you are. The longer you ignore it, the more control it'll have over you."

Summer closed her eyes and took a deep breath, feeling a little better now that she was talking about it and finally acknowledging what had been quietly plaguing her for weeks. Maybe Aemilia was right and she did need to talk about it before anything would get better. "I just... I don't want to sound whiny or... annoying, and..."

Aemilia sighed and squeezed her hand. "I promise you, Summer, that nobody in this manor would think that of you. And besides, if they did, Scott wouldn't be the only one here with a broken nose."

That made Summer laugh and then cringe. "Oh God... did I really break it?"

"It certainly looked that way," Aemilia said with a sympathetic smile. "Can I see your hand?"

Summer gave Aemilia her right hand, wincing in pain as Aemilia carefully checked it out and bent her fingers, pushing at various points. "Well, at least you didn't break your hand. Sprained it, possibly, but nothing too bad. You should have Bruce look at it later. On the bright side, your training seems to be paying off."

Summer let out a humorless huff of a laugh. "Oh God. I guess so. I didn't think it was, but..."

"It's all about instinct," Aemilia replied. "And it's different in a training arena than a real life fight. When that danger is real and not just imagined, your body will react much differently. As you discovered today."

"... Poor Scott," Summer sighed. "I feel so bad. I'm gonna need to like... bake him a giant cake or something. What's the best way to apologize for accidentally breaking your ex's nose?"

"I don't know," Aemilia chuckled. "Most people probably wouldn't mind breaking their ex's noses."

"Yeah, it's not like that at all," Summer shook her head, leaning back against the couch. "We actually had a _really_ good year together. He's really sweet. Best criminal I've ever known."

Aemilia chuckled and Summer grinned. "Well, I do have to say, the fact that you unknowingly dated a Bratva guy a few years ago and then ending up marrying into it is rather hilarious and bizarre."

Summer gave an exaggerated shrug and widened her eyes. "Yeah, tell me about it. I don't get it. And Scott I never would have suspected because he _hates_ violence. Like, he can barely kill a bug. One time he let his car get overrun by ants because his daughter left a bunch of candy in the backseat and he didn't have the heart to kill them all."

Aemilia made a face. "That's disgusting. And adorable."

"... I called it the Ant-mobile," Summer recalled, smiling a little. "He's just... yeah. He's a really good guy. I hope he's never had to kill anyone or... anything."

Aemilia shook her head. "As far as I know he hasn't. We take advantage of his other skills."

"... Cat burglar for the Bratva," Summer chuckled. "I never would have guessed it. Guess I'm just a magnet for the mob."

"What led you two to break up?" Aemilia asked, keeping the conversation going since it seemed to be doing a good job of distracting Summer.

"Well, jail," Summer chuckled. "After we got together I tried to get him a job at my dad's company, but my dad disapproved of me dating an unemployed single father, so he refused to help. But I knew one of the HR people at Vistacorp and I got him an interview there. They hired him and for awhile things were pretty good. He was making money - legitimately - and he got a new apartment, got to see his daughter - who's adorable, by the way - all the time, and we were pretty happy together. He was the first guy I ever dated who actually treated me well and never pressured me to do anything I didn't want to."

Aemilia raised her eyebrows. "Really?"

Summer nodded. "We didn't even do anything more than kiss for six months. I don't really... I don't like hopping into bed with people. I have to really feel something for them to even want to. I explained that to him and he totally got it and never made me feel bad or said one word about it. Which was huge because the guy I dated in high school was _such a jerk_ and pressured me until I gave in and... yeah, it was awful but anyway..."

Aemilia frowned. "I'm sorry. That must have been terrible."

"Yeah... it was. But yeah, Scott was super patient and sweet about it. And when I was ready to go for it, it took him totally by surprise and he looked like a kid who just found out it was Christmas," Summer grinned, recalling the memory. "I went all out and surprised him at his apartment wearing this _ridiculous_ lingerie that my mom insisted on getting me for the occasion..."

"Your mom?!" Aemilia laughed. "Oh dear God."

"It was like... black, sheer, French lingerie," Summer recalled, cringing a little even though she _had_ admittedly looked absolutely stunning in the stuff. "But yeah. Anyway. It was actually pretty life changing for me because for awhile I wasn't sure that I liked sex _at all_ since I hadn't really enjoyed it with anyone before that. Which was two guys. The high school boyfriend and then one in college."

"And Scott changed your mind?" Aemilia smiled.

"... Yeah," Summer smiled back with a faint blush. "I also felt more for him than I did with them. Like a lot more. He was my best friend and we had so much fun together. It was awesome. But then the stuff with Vistacorp happened and... well, I'm sure you know the story."

Aemilia nodded. "They were overcharging their clients and they fired him when he found out and made a fuss."

Summer nodded. "And then he broke into their headquarters and returned all the money to the customers. And broke into the CEO's house and stole his jewelry. And... drove his Bentley into the pool."

Aemilia grinned. "So theatrical."

"Yeah," Summer agreed. "So then he was arrested and charged with about a zillion different crimes. He plea bargained down to five years in prison and... pretty happily paraded around admitting his guilt, making a statement and everything. Which was good, I guess, but it hurt that he'd do all that and throw his freedom away when he knew he was also throwing _us_ away. But yeah... it wasn't easy and it sucked, but we broke up on good terms. I visited him in prison a couple times, wrote him letters and stuff. He followed his conscience and helped a lot of people, so ultimately I can't hold that against him."

"Well, it sounds like overall it was still a positive experience," Aemilia smiled. "I can see how the two of you would be happy together. You're almost the same person."

Summer chuckled. "Well, that was a blessing and a curse. I think we're better as friends in the long term for sure."

"And at least he taught you the reverse cowgirl position while you two were still an item," Aemilia noted casually while Summer whipped her head around and stared with wide eyes.

"... Oh my God! How many people has he _said_ that to?!" Summer squeaked. Was blabbing that in front of Bucky and Natasha not enough?

"... A lot of us," Aemilia laughed. "Apparently it's one of his great lifetime achievements. He told Lukas that watching you... ah... do that changed his life."

Summer rolled her eyes and dropped her head back against the couch dramatically, face turning bright red. "Great. Fantastic. I'm gonna kill him."

"Well, you _did_ already break his nose, so..."

Summer groaned and covered her face with her hands. "Oh God. Don't remind me."

Aemilia chuckled and patted her knee. "Sorry."

Summer eventually straightened up and leaned forward, opening her eyes and looking around and getting a good look at the room around her for the first time since Aemilia had brought her into it. Once she started noticing all of the little details hiding in plain sight, her jaw slowly dropped.

A bookcase in the living room was filled with immaculate copies of all the must-have sci-fi and fantasy works of the last century - the _Lord of the Rings_ trilogy, all of the _Harry Potter_ books, every _Game of Thrones_ book that had been published thus far, and more. The bottom shelves, meanwhile, were filled entirely with comic books. Direwolf bookends held all the collections neatly together.

Then Summer looked behind her, to the wall that was directly behind the couch. Displayed there was a stunningly nice-looking banner representing the Hogwarts houses of Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Eyes wide, she then looked briefly at Aemilia towards the huge TV she'd also just noticed, along with the gigantic shelves of movies and games next to it. There were all the quintessential classic games from the late 80s and early 90s on the lower shelves, and and above those were chronologically arranged games dating all the way to just the previous month. The movies, meanwhile, constituted a library of their very own.

"Oh my God," Summer said in a daze, standing up and wandering across the room.

"What?" Aemilia asked, following her with a look of concern on her face.

In a corner of the sitting room there was a glass cabinet containing collectible figures of a plethora of fictional characters. They weren't mere action figures or the kind of toys that one could find at the mall. No, Summer noted, these were the _good_ ones, the ones that actually looked like the actors who played them, and she knew full well how expensive they were. And Aemilia had _tons_ of them, from every nerdy franchise in existence including _Star Wars_ and _Star Trek_.

It hit Summer suddenly like a ton of bricks.

Aemilia... was a _nerd_. And she lived in a nerd's paradise.

Summer turned around and gasped dramatically, "You're... you're a nerd!"

Aemilia then smiled widely and nodded happily. "Oh yes. And proud."

"I had no idea!" Summer said, looking around the room with dazzled eyes. "Holy crap! This is like... my dream come true! You have everything I've always been too broke to get!"

"Oh, this has all taken quite a while to accumulate," Aemilia replied. "A lot are gifts from Loki. Lukas, I mean," she blushed. "Oh, like these!"

She walked over to a nearby loveseat and plucked two throw pillows from it. She tossed one to Summer and grinned, "I love these. He got them for me on Valentine's Day last year."

Summer looked down at the pillow in her hands and grinned. It said _my sun and stars_ with a little sun in the corner, and in Aemilia's hands was a matching one bearing the words _moon of my life_ next to a crescent moon.

"Okay, seriously... you guys can't possibly get anymore perfect," Summer decided. "Like I can't take it. This is officially too much."

Aemilia giggled and took the pillow back from her, replacing it on the couch. "I take it you're also of the nerd variety?"

"Uh, _yes_!" Summer all but exclaimed. "Holy crap! Like oh my God, _Lord of the Rings_ , _Harry Potter - Harry Potter_!" She pointed to the house banner on the wall. "Is that for you and Lukas? You're Ravenclaw and he's Slytherin?!"

"Why yes," Aemilia smirked. "Impeccable guess. What about you? What's your house?"

Summer grinned and Aemilia squinted in consideration, formulating a guess. She ended up guessing just as Summer gave her answer, causing them both to say in unison, "Hufflepuff."

"Yes!" Summer exclaimed while Aemilia giggled. "It's such an underrated house and sometimes I'm embarrassed to even say it, but..."

"Oh, nonsense!" Aemilia waved her off. "Cedric was a Hufflepuff before he died and was brought back to life as a sparkly vampire, so you're in good company."

"Oh my God," Summer laughed. "That's true! Poor Cedric, though. Actually, poor everyone that JK killed."

Aemilia nodded. "She's a heartless, cruel woman."

Summer fidgeted a little and then blurted out a sudden confession. "I dressed up as Severus Snape for Halloween when I was 18."

Aemilia's eyes widened. "You did?!"

She nodded. "Big billowing cloak and wand and everything. And a lot of grease in my hair."

Aemilia burst out laughing. "Are there pictures? I need pictures."

Summer cringed. "My mom has them. She dressed up as a... um... 'hot young' McGonagell that year."

"... Oh my."

"... Yeah, so you had me, a greasy feminine Snape, and my mom who looked like a Playboy bunny in a Hogwarts robe."

Aemilia grinned and shook her head. "I absolutely love the two of you. Oh! While we're on that topic," she said, turning and all but skipping across the room to head to her bedroom, "I'll be right back!"

Summer smiled and only had to wait less than a minute before Aemilia came bounding back with two framed pictures in her hands. She then showed them both to Summer and grinned, "Our last two Halloweens. We dressed as couples, as you can see. First was Nightwing and Batgirl - and as you can see, Lukas pulled off the costume _quite_ well. Then last year, we went as Jon Snow and Ygritte. I've never seen a man spend so long on his hair as Lukas did on that particular day."

"Oh my God," Summer squeaked, in awe of the sheer perfection before her. "This is just... I'm dying. Like I keep saying how perfect you guys are and I know it's getting old but seriously - you guys are perfect."

"Well, nobody's perfect," Aemilia grinned, "but I have to agree that we're rather good together."

Summer grinned back, and Aemilia set aside the pictures in her hands before turning around to check her phone that decided to ding at that very moment. When she turned around, Summer's eyes went to the tattoo on the back of her shoulder - her hair was up and she was wearing an off the shoulder top - and suddenly she remembered something that she'd been contemplating for the last few weeks.

After sending a quick text on her phone, Aemilia turned back around and said, "I have an idea."

"Me too," Summer replied nervously. "You go first."

"Okay," Aemilia grinned. "So as you know, Lukas is out of town for the weekend at a conference in Frankfurt, and I was thinking... we could have a movie night."

"Oh! A movie night!" Summer smiled. "Yeah! That would be awesome. Especially now that I've seen your movie library. Like holy crap."

"Good!" Aemilia chirped. "It'll be fun! I'll make you my famous hot chocolate and we can wear pajamas and have a blast. What was your idea?"

Summer hesitated, suddenly wishing she hadn't said anything. "Oh, uh... well... it's just... something I've been thinking about for awhile. And then after talking to you just now about... um... my anxiety and everything, I think maybe it's a good idea."

"Okay," Aemilia nodded. "Tell me."

Summer took a deep breath. "... I think I want a tattoo like yours."

That had _not_ been what Aemilia was expecting. "Oh. Really?"

Summer nodded. "At least once a week I see sketchy looking guys walking around here or at the office, so... I don't know. I think it would give me a little more peace of mind than I have now. Do you... do you think it would work? If some guy was hassling me and I showed him a tattoo that said... I guess _Winter Soldier_?"

"Yes," Aemilia nodded. "Obviously Rumlow targeted you _for_ your connection to Bucky, but... he's a rare case. Most men cower in fear of him and wouldn't dare touch anything that belongs to him. But... are you sure that you want this? His name permanently tattooed on your body?"

Summer frowned and gave a small shrug. "I mean... I'm not the type to get _anyone's_ name tattooed on me. But... given the circumstances... I think it would be smart."

Aemilia nodded. "Okay. Do you want to talk to him first?"

"No," Summer immediately blurted. "No, I don't want him to even know about it."

Aemilia nodded again, not questioning her or even asking for a reason. "Okay. Well, if you're totally sure, I can take you to Drax this afternoon."

"Drax?"

"He's done all of our tattoos," Aemilia explained. "Mine, Lukas', Bucky's. His shop is in Brooklyn."

Summer only took a second or two to think before she nodded. "Okay. Yeah. Let's do it."

Aemilia smirked. "You're positive? Tattoos are permanent, you know."

"Yeah... yeah, I'm sure. I've been thinking about since I first saw yours, honestly. So let's just do it."

"All right," Aemilia smiled, picking up her phone. "I'll call him now."

Summer grinned back, sort of excited about the whole thing. The fact that she literally had to get a man's name branded on her skin to ward off unwanted advances from other men was a depressing thought, but the was the mob she was talking about. As lovely as the people that she lived with were, she was under no illusions about the overall organization, especially after Rumlow. This was, like training, another way to protect herself.

After Aemilia made her the appointment, Summer thanked her for her much-needed help that morning and enveloped her in a long, grateful hug. Aemilia had talked her down from her panic attack so beautifully and effectively, and Summer felt exponentially better than she did only an hour before. She thanked her more times than she could count, and then she headed to her door to leave.

After she opened it and walked out of the suite, she found Scott sitting with his back against the wall of the hallway, apparently waiting for her. His nose was bandaged and he quickly sprang to his feet, trying to act casual and like he hadn't been sitting there camped out and waiting for her to emerge.

"Hey!" he said cheerfully as she shut the door behind her. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah, yeah, I... oh man," she frowned, looking at his nose. "I really did break it."

"Yep," he shrugged. "It's okay. It happens, right? No big deal. It was crooked from the last time I broke it. Maybe it'll straighten out this time."

Summer made a face and sighed, both of them turning to start walking down the hallway towards the main staircase. "I'm really sorry. I was kind of in the middle of a panic attack anyway and then you poked me and I just... reacted."

"Yeah... no, I get it," Scott nodded. "But that bruise on your face from a few weeks ago... you didn't get it from Natasha, did you?"

She looked at him in slight surprise. "Who told you?"

"Nobody. I've just been putting clues together and..." he stopped walking and looked at her very seriously. "Summer, he's not hurting you, is he?"

She blinked. "Who?"

"Barnes."

She gasped and shook her head furiously. "Oh God, no! No, no, no. He's never touched me. Literally. He's never even... no. No, it wasn't him. It was..." She swallowed and then forced the name out. "It was Brock Rumlow."

Scott's eyes widened. "What did he do to you?!"

Summer blew out a breath and told him the whole story. Reminding herself that talking about it helped far more than it hurt, she made it through the story without losing it or feeling the anxiety come creeping back. She felt okay, for the most part, and when she finished the story, she looked up to find nothing short of sheer fury on Scott's face.

"... I'll kill that bastard," he announced, and Summer sighed and shook her head.

"Bucky, um... mutilated him for what he did," she replied. "He's back in Russia now. With like... half a dick."

Scott's expression brightened fractionally. "Oh. Well, that's good, at least. But he should still be dead. I can still kill him."

Summer gave him a knowing look. "Thanks, but you can't even kill a spider. It's fine. I'm pretty satisfied with what Bucky did to him. From what I've heard it was pretty... thorough."

"... Yikes. But I'm glad to hear it. How are you holding up? Aside from this morning, I mean," Scott clarified.

"Well," she said, both of them coming to a halt near the top of the staircase, "I've been staying busy and I thought I was doing okay, but... obviously I was wrong. And your nose paid the price."

They both laughed softly at that, and Scott paused before telling her with the utmost sincerity, "You know you can always talk to me if you need someone, right? As a friend. We're still friends, right?"

She rolled her eyes and playfully punched his shoulder, much more gently than she had his face. "Duh, you dork."

"Hey, I'm just checking," he shrugged. "I didn't know if you'd want to hear from me anymore once I got out, and then I showed up here and embarrassed you in front of your scary new husband, so..."

"It's fine. I mean, that wasn't nearly as bad as a broken nose, so," she chuckled. "Don't sweat it. It's not like I don't embarrass myself on a daily basis anyway."

"... That's true, you do," he agreed, earning another punch to his arm before they both started laughing. Then he pulled her into a sweet, friendly hug, and he told her quietly, "I'm sorry you've been through so much."

"Me too," she sighed, resting her chin on his shoulder. "It's been a rough couple of months."

The sound of approaching footsteps made Scott look up before he could reply. He froze briefly, stiffening before quickly disentangling himself from Summer and giving a nervous smile and tipping his head. "Boss."

Summer furrowed her brows and then turned to find Bucky standing there, because _of course_ he'd walk by at that exact moment. He appeared to be freshly showered, long hair wet and pushed behind his ears, and he was glaring daggers at Scott who decided that now was a perfect time to start babbling.

"Don't worry, just a, uh, just a friendly hug. Wasn't trying to get handsy or anything. I wouldn't do that. I mean I _did_ do that, a long time ago, but now that she's married - to you - I wouldn't... you know. Try anything."

Summer quietly groaned next to him. Bucky merely stared at him and asked, "What happened to your face?"

"She punched me," Scott replied, gesturing to Summer. She froze like a deer in headlights.

Bucky's eyes flickered to her and then back to Scott. "Why?"

"... Because I snuck up on her and tried to scare her. Frankly I deserved it. And she's got a mean right hook. Training's paying off."

Bucky then looked back at Summer and regarded her for a few seconds before murmuring, "Good." Then he glanced back at Scott and added, "Keep your fucking hands to yourself." Then he got back on his way, strolling down the stairs with another word.

Once he was gone, Summer closed her eyes in quiet despair and Scott side-eyed her. "I thought you said you guys weren't a thing."

"We're not," she immediately snapped. "Like at all."

"... Sure about that?"

"Yes," Summer said with a clear tone of finality. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to take a shower and get ready. I'm getting a tattoo later."

Scott's eyes widened. "A tattoo? Really? Of what? _Where_?"

She ignored him and started walking to her room. "None of your business."

"Oh come on, throw me a bone," Scott pled, following her. "I never knew you were a tattoo kind of girl."

"Yeah, well," she said, reaching her door and tossing it open, turning around to throw him a small smile. "People change."

He nodded, then asked, "Is it a tramp stamp?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Seriously?"

"Wait wait, lemme guess, you're getting that actor's face tattooed somewhere," he guessed again. "The tall ugly one. Uh... Eggs Benedict Cucumberface."

She scrunched up her entire face. "Okay, number one, I don't find him attractive. He looks like a potato. Voice is good but no. You're thinking Tom Hiddleston."

He snapped his fingers and pointed at her. "Yes! Him! You used to moan about him in your sleep. Talk about making a guy feel inadequate."

"Well... he's _Tom Hiddleston_ ," Summer shrugged. "But no. I'm not getting his face put anywhere."

"No Hiddleboob?"

Summer groaned and leaned against the doorframe. "You're an idiot."

"Hey, you've definitely got _room_ there for a face tattoo. Probably for several."

She sighed. "Should I go tell my husband that you're standing here in front of my room talking about my boobs?"

"Please don't. I don't want anything else on me breaking today. I just... I was in an all-male general population for two years. Give a guy a break."

"I did earlier," she smirked, pointing to his nose. "Now get out."

He stuck out his tongue at her. "You're no fun."

"Oh yes I am," she replied. "And you know it." She then closed the door on his face, and she laughed when he groaned and yelled through the door _not cool, jerk!_

She grinned and headed towards her bathroom, feeling much better than she had earlier. She still felt pretty guilty for Scott's face and her anxiety was, as always, still creeping at the door, but she had other things to think about at that moment - like going under the needle for the first time in just a few short hours.

She'd just add it to the list of things she'd never thought she would do but did anyway. And that list was getting longer and longer with each passing week.

* * *

About three hours later, Summer was flanked by Aemilia and Lizzie and standing in front of a rather unappealing and rough looking building in the bowels of Brooklyn, bearing an even less appealing name: _Destroyer Ink_.

"... _Destroyer_?" Lizzie blinked.

"This place looks like it's _been_ destroyed," Summer said, dangerously close to having second thoughts. At first glance, the place looked like it would be a breeding ground for at least two strains of hepatitis and possibly a few STDs, too.

"That's by design," Aemilia assured her. "Trust me, it's much nicer on the inside."

"But... Destroyer?" Lizzie repeated, eyes wide.

"Now just to warn you two," Aemilia said, "Drax has very unconventional social skills and is a very literal man. Most metaphors go over his head, so try to avoid them. Also, he might insult you, but don't take it personally. It's sort of his way of showing affection."

Summer and Lizzie both looked at Aemilia in confusion. "What?"

She sighed and gave a small shrug. "He sometimes calls Lukas 'pale whore'. But he doesn't mean anything negative by it, if that makes sense."

"It doesn't," Lizzie said.

"Well, that's the beside the point," Aemilia said, waving them off and stepping up to the door. "He's a sweetheart once you get to know him."

Sharing a hesitant look with Lizzie, Summer raised her eyebrows and then followed Aemilia inside. Sam and Thor followed them, keeping their distance and watching out for them, taking up positions at the door once the women were safely inside.

"Oh wow," Summer said, widening her eyes and looking around at the shockingly pristine studio that looked nothing like it did on the outside. "Okay. You were right. This place looks amazing on the inside."

"I told you," Aemilia grinned before sharing a short greeting with the lady at the front desk. The woman smiled and hurried off to the back, and Summer glanced back to Sam and Thor standing guard at the door and then realized the place was completely empty. Aemilia must have requested as much, and Summer wondered if she'd ever get used to being a perpetual VIP everywhere she went. Probably not.

Then, just a moment later, the receptionist returned with an enormous, huge - and shirtless - man trailing behind her. He was bald and covered in ink, a lot of it a vibrant red color that shaded the designs, some of which even covered portions of his face. He looked exactly like the kind of man that Summer would run screaming from if she ever encountered him on the street, and yet his eyes lit up and he turned into nothing short of a puppy dog at the sight of Aemilia.

"Little Aemilia!" he greeted happily with a rather thick Russian accent, pulling the much smaller woman into a hug and all but showering her with affection as Summer and Lizzie both watched in surprise.

Aemilia giggled and hugged him back, though her arms couldn't quite fully envelop his huge frame. "Thank you so much for having us today, Drax. It's been too long,"

"Yes, it has," he agreed, pulling away and looking her over. "I heard the good news! And I can tell it's true. You're looking fatter already."

Aemilia barely hid a snort behind her wide smile. "Ah... thank you?"

Lizzie leaned over and whispered to Summer, "She wasn't kidding about the weird social skills thing. And why isn't he wearing a shirt?"

"Anyway," Aemilia said, gesturing to Summer. "This is Summer and her mother, Lizzie."

Drax turned to the other two women and nodded respectfully, telling Summer, "Hello. It's good to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you."

Summer tried not to cringe. "Hopefully good things?"

"Interesting things," he replied a bit vaguely. "Now, what will I be drawing on you today?"

Briefly and bizarrely imagining him literally drawing on her skin with crayons, Summer blinked and said, "Um, well, I..."

"She wants something similar to what I have," Aemilia explained. "For protection."

"Ah," he nodded. "Does he know? Why isn't he with you?"

Summer paused. "Well, we're not really... um... I'm not doing this for him. I'm doing it for me."

"I don't blame you," Drax replied. "He is an angry little bitch. Always grumpy. Never smiles."

Summer's eyes nearly fell out of her head. Lizzie choked briefly and then blurted, "I know I just met you, but I think I love you."

Drax turned to Lizzie and replied, "That's impossible. You cannot love someone you just met. That's a foolish thought, meant for stupid movies and fairy tales."

"Oh, yeah, I know, I just meant... never mind," Lizzie shrugged, deciding not to even bother.

Quickly moving on, Drax then told the ladies, "Come on back. I will draw a few designs for you to choose from."

Summer nodded and followed the intimidating man, and meanwhile, back at the doors, Thor glanced at Sam and said, "20 bucks says she faints as soon as the needle touches her skin."

Sam scoffed. "Don't let that Marshmallow fool you. She's tougher than she looks."

"Oh, I have no doubt, but tattoos are a different sort of animal," Thor replied.

Sam shook his head, then extended his right hand to shake Thor's. "You're on."

Over the next thirty minutes or so, Summer fidgeted anxiously in the seat she'd be getting inked in, fighting last minute jitters as Drax drew up five different options in various fonts and sizes. Once he showed them to her, Summer and her two companions looked them over with her and helped her decide on one. It was the most elegant of them all, in a fancy font that Summer couldn't pronounce, and it consisted of two simple Russian words that translated to _Winter Soldier_.

Once the design was chosen, it was time to take the plunge. Trying not to feel self conscious, Summer shed her shirt and laid facing forward on the seat, taking a breath and wrapping her arms around the backrest. It wasn't an uncomfortable position, but the whole experience was quite strange for her and her nerves were definitely making themselves known.

After Drax pressed the design to the back of her left shoulder, the place that she had chosen to bear the ink, and then peeled it away leaving the words that he then prepared to permanently etch into her skin, Lizzie piped up, "If you feel like you're gonna faint, make sure you say something."

Summer rolled her eyes. "I'm not gonna faint."

"There's no shame if you do," Aemilia assured her. "It happens sometimes."

"It's true," Drax said, taking a seat and picking up his tattoo gun, testing it for power first and then carefully unscrewing two little tubs of black ink. "Though usually, in my experience, big men faint, not little women."

"Really?" Summer grinned, looking over her shoulder.

He nodded. "I gave Thor his first tattoo when he was 17. Bratva star on his chest. He threw up before the needle even touched him."

Summer's eyes became comically wide. " _Really_?! Oh my God. That's great."

"Yes. Now lay down and stay still," he said, getting into position. "This won't take too long."

"Okay," Summer said meekly, peeking up at Lizzie and Aemilia as she obeyed. Aemilia smiled and gave her the thumbs up, and Lizzie pulled a plastic bag of out of her purse and mouthed, _you can puke in this!_

She rolled her eyes. Then she heard the whiz of the gun coming to life, and he asked, "Ready?"

She took a breath. "As I'll ever be."

"Don't you love virgins?" Lizzie joked. Drax stared blankly at her for half a second before continuing on with his task. She sighed and decided to keep her mouth shut.

Summer had her eyes squinted shut as tightly as she could manage as she waited for the pain to begin. Then, once the needle touched her skin and began inking the first letter into it, she opened her eyes and furrowed her brows. He traced the whole first letter before stopping and wiping away the excess ink, and Summer said with relief, "Well, that's not so bad."

" _Really_?" Lizzie chirped.

"I told you it's no big deal," Aemilia grinned.

He then continued on, inking the next two letters in one go. After, Summer giggled a little and said, "You know... it almost feels kinda good. Like it hurts, but it's a tingly kind of pain. It's not bad. At all."

"... You _like_ it?" Lizzie asked in disbelief. "Oh good God. My daughter is a kinky motherf-"

" _Mom!_ " Summer squeaked while Aemilia let out an unfairly melodic giggle.

"Well, I'm just saying," Lizzie shrugged.

Summer sighed and then silence fell for a few moments. Drax continued his work, quietly and precisely tattooing Summer's husband's codename, and her thoughts travelled to Bucky as she laid there and endured the odd, not entirely unpleasant pain.

"So did you do all of Bucky's tattoos too?" she asked as he finished up the first word and wiped her skin clean.

"Yes."

"Did he throw up or do anything weird?" she asked with a grin.

"No. He is very stoic. Always has been. Though he did cry one time. Not because of the pain, I think."

 _That_ definitely caught her attention. "Really? Which one was that?"

"The phoenix," he replied, getting started on the second word. "All the others, he never blinked. But that one, he cried - silently - until the end."

Summer glanced up at Aemilia, who judging by her expression hadn't heard that story before. She looked a little saddened, and Summer knew that Aemilia would know why Bucky would have reacted in that way. She knew everything about him, it seemed, and yet she still hadn't shared much of anything with Summer. She understood why, but it was incredibly frustrating at times. She just wanted to understand why Bucky was the way that he was.

"How old was he?" Summer asked, figuring she might as well gather as much information as she could.

"20, 21," Drax replied. "He was still in college."

So, Summer deduced, something terrible must have happened to him around that time. Probably someone close to him passing away, since a phoenix was a pretty classic thing to symbolize someone's memory. Then again, she could be completely wrong. Maybe he just really liked mythical birds and was crying because midterms had been particularly difficult that year. Who knew? She certainly didn't.

"Why do you ask me and not him?"

Summer paused at that question and sighed, "Well, because trying to talk to him is like pulling teeth. Actually, pulling teeth is easier."

"That's nonsense," he replied. "Tooth extractions are very painful and very difficult. I had a tooth pulled last year. Speaking is much easier than enduring that."

... Right, the _literal_ thing. What a character this guy was. Before she could answer, he had dropped his tattoo gun and was wiping her skin off one last time. "Done."

"Wow, that was fast," she said, still bewildered by how tolerable she had found the whole thing. She considered the tattoo process much better than getting flu shots or IVs, that was for sure.

He helped her sit back up and then directed her to a mirror across the room, near where Aemilia and Lizzie were sitting. She got to her feet and grinned at them before hurrying to get a look at her very first - and possibly only - tattoo.

She turned her back to the mirror and then looked at it over her shoulder. The skin around the tattoo was red and irritated, but the words themselves were flawless and elegant. It looked good. It might have been a symbol of the danger she faced as the wife of a mob boss who didn't love her, but she liked how it looked. And she didn't regret it in the least.

"It looks good," Aemilia smiled, now standing next to her and admiring the work in the mirror. "I think it suits you."

"My daughter is officially tattooed," Lizzie sighed, putting a hand on her other shoulder. "And I gotta say, you handled it like a badass."

Summer chuckled. "Seriously, I thought it felt _good_."

"... So did I, when I got mine," Aemilia admitted, and the girls started giggling together for a moment. "I can't explain it! I just... liked it."

"Freaks," Lizzie teased affectionately. "Weirdos. Nerds."

"Oh definitely," Aemilia grinned. "And we're quite proud of it."

Summer really was. She was even prouder to share that distinction with Aemilia.

A few moments later, Drax bandaged her shoulder and gave her a few small tubes of tattoo cream that would help her skin heal and protect the ink. And when he mentioned something offhand about her and Bucky now having matching tattoos, she blinked and realized that she hadn't even thought of it that way. But it was true.

They soon bade farewell to the amusing, slightly odd tattoo artist, and Sam became 20 bucks richer once Thor conceded defeat in their bet. The girls and their bodyguards then headed home, making a pit stop on the way so that Aemilia could grab the world's largest red velvet cake batter milkshake known to mankind. It cost nearly $30, but what a pregnant woman wanted, a pregnant woman got.

Summer kept waiting for the regret to start creeping up on her, or maybe panic that she now had a Bratva Captain's codename permanently written into her skin, but neither of those moments ever came. Instead she felt oddly at peace and, above all, majorly excited about hers and Aemilia's swiftly approaching movie night together.

And after the last few months that she'd had, she certainly wasn't going to question peace when she was lucky enough to feel some.

* * *

When Summer knocked on Aemilia's door around 9 o'clock later that night, she did so while hiding a big smile on her face and straightening out the Batman pajamas that she'd decided to throw on. After all, Aemilia had suggested wearing pajamas, and Summer was more than a little excited to get to let her nerd flag fly around the woman who was quickly becoming the best friend she'd ever had.

The pajamas consisted of just a simple black t-shirt with the classic black and yellow Bat symbol in the center, and then small by comfy yellow shorts full of little Bat symbols all over them. She _might_ have also gone ahead and thrown on a pair of fuzzy pink and black Hello Kitty slippers, because they were awesome and the manor's floors got rather chilly at night, and all in all she was dressed vaguely like a 14 year old and she didn't care.

Her smile got cranked up to full force when the door opened and Aemilia appeared on the other side, her hair up in a messy bun and a Twizzler in her hand. "Oh yay!" Aemilia exclaimed. "You're early! Come in, come in."

"Oh my God, your pajamas," Summer squeaked as she walked inside. "They're awesome!"

"Oh thank you," Aemilia grinned, glancing down at her white and gray Harry Potter-themed pjs. The shirt was white with the Hogwarts crest in the center, and the pants were gray and bore the names of all the movies and other important items like the Marauder's Map and the like. In other words, they were _awesome_. "The pants are very stretchy, so hopefully I'll be able to fit into them for a few more months."

Aemilia led Summer to her couch, and Summer remarked, "Well, I can't tell you're pregnant yet at all. You're still so tiny."

"Well, I'm only ten weeks along," Aemilia grinned, looking back at her over her shoulder. "I haven't quite hit the whale phase yet. Go ahead and take a seat, I'll grab the movie."

"Okay," Summer smiled, plunking down on the left side of the couch. That was when she noticed the big steaming container sitting on the coffee table in front of them, along with two empty mugs. "Oooh! Is this your famous hot chocolate?"

"Yes!" Aemilia said as she returned, DVD in hand. "I make batches rather than single servings. It goes so fast, it's the only way I can do it." She pointed to the bottle of cinnamon whiskey sitting next to the pitcher and said, "That's one of my secret ingredients. Normally I'd have it mixed in with the whole batch, but," she pointed to her belly and grinned. "Anyway! So, this is what I was thinking we could watch."

Aemilia held the DVD up in front of Summer's face, and Summer immediately widened her eyes and gasped, "Oh, frick! _Yes_! I've been dying to see that for so long!"

"You haven't seen it yet?" Aemilia asked, raising an eyebrow. "Aren't you sort of a massive fangirl of this particular actor?"

Summer blushed a little and stammered, "I, well, yes, but... I never got to see it when it first came out, and I rented it once but never got to watch it, so..."

"Well, then, this is even more of a perfect choice than I thought," Aemilia grinned. "He _is_ rather beautiful, isn't he? And in this movie he looks so much like Lukas that it's insane."

Summer's eyes widened. "... Oh my God. You're right." She gulped. "I am so jealous of you right now. You're married to a Tom Hiddleston doppelgänger."

"... I am," Aemilia grinned. "But don't be too jealous. You're married to a rather beautiful man yourself, you know."

"Yeah, but I don't get to really enjoy that beauty, so," Summer shrugged.

Aemilia nodded, sighing lightly. "Well... maybe in time, that will change."

Before Summer could point out why that was never going to happen, there was a soft knock at the door. She looked up in confusion as Aemilia pleasantly called out, "Come on in!"

Summer never would have expected what came next. In walked none other than her husband, wearing sweatpants and a well-worn black t-shirt with several holes in it, his hair tossed back in a careless bun and his eyes going as wide and confused as Summer's when he saw her sitting there.

Aemilia, however, acted like nothing was out of the ordinary and sprang cheerfully to her feet, announcing, "We're watching _Crimson Peak_!" She sashayed to the DVD player and put the movie in, all while Summer sat frozen and Bucky stood rooted to the spot, seemingly torn between walking back out or proceeding with the movie night that he had apparently _also_ been invited to.

Aemilia secretly glanced over her shoulder and tossed Summer a wink. The woman was diabolical. Pure evil wrapped up in an adorable pregnant package.

Summer glanced cautiously back to Bucky, who she just then realized was carrying an empty mug in his hand. Apparently this was quite the normal routine for him and Aemilia, and in the end he decided to hell with it and walked inside and closed the door, though he looked decidedly unhappy about it. He marched to the couch, taking the opposite side of it, and Summer stared down at her hands while trying to contain her urge to freak out and bolt.

Then Aemilia came bounding back, DVD player remote and bag of Twizzlers in hand, and she plopped down between the married couple and cheerfully exclaimed, "My God, I can't stop eating these. Want one?"

She offered one of the cherry flavored licorice ropes to each of them, but both Bucky and Summer declined. She then took a big bite of the thing as the previews began to play on the TV, and as she chewed on the candy, she leaned forward and started pouring each of them portions of her legendary hot chocolate recipe.

"Okay, so," she said as she then reached for the bottle of whiskey, "just a smidge goes in and then... voila." She grinned and handed Summer's drink over first, then Bucky's. She then told Summer, "Bucky's been drinking these every week for what? Has it been two years now? We try to get a movie night in every week, and he claims it's just not the same without this."

Bucky glared softly at Aemilia, and she narrowed her eyes at him in a way that just dared him to say something. But he didn't, instead taking a big drink and looking away, and Aemilia turned back to Summer with a big smile. "Like it?"

Summer swallowed down her first sip and widened her eyes. "... Holy crap. That's... that might be the best thing I've ever tasted."

Aemilia smiled gleefully. "I knew you'd love it! Everybody does. Nobody is immune. You see, Bucky here once swore up and down to me that he didn't like hot chocolate and would not under any circumstances enjoy this. Then I finally wore him down until he agreed to taste it, and look at him now."

Bucky paused mid-sip, already almost done with his first serving. Summer smiled and Aemilia giggled, and Bucky cleared his throat before admitting, "It's good stuff."

 _He speaks_ , Summer thought. Then to her surprise, he spoke again.

"What did you say we were watching?"

" _Crimson Peak_!" Aemilia chirped. "Gothic romance with ghosts. I've already seen it about five times. You're both gonna love it."

Bucky wrinkled his nose. "A ghost movie?"

" _No_ , it's a gothic romance _with_ ghosts," Aemilia corrected. "Sort of like a darker Jane Eyre. And you loved Jane Eyre, remember?"

Summer's eyes nearly fell out of her head. Bucky - actual murder bot Bucky who could kill and maim without blinking - loved Jane Eyre? What next? He and Aemilia once had a Disney marathon followed by karaoke of all the best Disney songs? He threw on a red wig and belted out _Part of Your World_ into a hairbrush with Aemilia?

"... Jane Eyre is one of my all time favorites," Summer said, and Bucky glanced her way before seeming to catch himself and looking away. She refocused on Aemilia and added, "Like, it's seriously one of the best movies ever."

"It is!" Aemilia all but squealed. "It's one of my favorites too. I can't even count how many times I've seen it. And _this_ movie is great too, it truly is. I don't understand why the reviews were so poor."

As Bucky helped himself to more hot chocolate, Aemilia pressed the play button on the main menu and officially began the movie. She then picked up another remote and pushed on it a bit, lowering the lights in the room until they were sitting in near-darkness.

"... Really?" Bucky muttered.

"Hush. Ghosts require darkness," Aemilia teased, and Summer took a deep breath and tried to get comfy on her little corner of the couch.

... She could do this. This was fine. Everything was fine. She could watch a scary period romance starring her ultimate celebrity crush with her friend and unfairly hot husband whose name she'd secretly tattooed on her body mere hours earlier.

It wasn't awkward. Not at all. Who felt awkward? Not Summer, that was for sure.

 _Yeah right_.

Despite the weirdness and tension in the room, once the movie got started, most of that melted away and Summer was pulled into the story. She loved all the actors in the cast and, being a sucker for period romances anyway, she was hooked only a few scenes in. And the minute that Sir Thomas Sharpe made his entrance into the story, all bets were off.

"My God, he's so hot," Summer whispered to Aemilia. "Look at him. He's beautiful."

"I know," Aemilia whispered back. "And see what I mean? He and Lukas could be brothers. It's uncanny."

"I'll never be able to unsee it," Summer replied. "And I'm still so jealous. Oh my God."

Next to the two giggling, whispering girls, Bucky glanced over at them somewhat wearily. He then rolled his eyes and turned back to the TV, currently not especially happy with Aemilia and her apparent scheming.

He stayed mostly silent throughout the movie, and the girls eventually mostly ceased their whispering and quiet commentary as well once the story really got going. The brutal murder of Edith the heroine's father and her subsequent breakdown brought tears to Summer's eyes, though she tried to hide it since she assumed that Bucky would probably give her that look like she was ridiculous if he noticed. But he didn't notice, because when she glanced his way during that particular part, he was staring at the screen far harder than she ever would have expected. Apparently, that particular scene struck a nerve with him.

Then Edith and Thomas were wed, and the story continued to take subtle turns for the darker and stranger. Summer hadn't been spoiled for any of the major plot points, so it was all new to her. She was quite wrapped up in the story and trying to piece all the little clues together when Aemilia's phone rang softly from the coffee table.

Aemilia leaned forward and checked the screen, then flashed both of her friends smiles and said, "It's Lukas. I'll just go and take it in my room. You guys keep watching, I shouldn't be long."

And just like that, Aemilia cheerfully abandoned both Bucky and Summer and removed the barrier between them that they'd both been so reliant on. Summer watched her leave in mild horror, then turned back to the TV screen silently as all the tension and awkwardness returned with a vengeance.

She was now sitting alone... in the dark... watching a movie... on a couch with Bucky.

And just when she thought that it couldn't get any worse, it did. It got much, _much_ worse, thanks to the movie and the sex scene that swiftly approached.

Thomas and Edith were smitten newlyweds who were frequently interrupted by ill-timed appearances from Thomas' overly attached sister. But when a blizzard gave them their first night truly alone together, passion finally got the better of them, and they at last consummated their marriage. And the very minute that the couple began kissing and rolling around in their bed, Summer's face flushed bright red and she started feeling very... very... uncomfortable. In a good way, of course.

This particular sex scene was no fleeting, five second affair. Not only that, it starred her nearly naked all-time celebrity crush, and he was passionately kissing his onscreen wife - tongue and all - and rolling his hips and...

Summer couldn't help it. She squirmed a little bit, and Bucky glanced over at her as subtly as he possibly could. He watched her shift around until she caught him looking, and then they made eye contact for about an eighth of a second before quickly looking back to the screen.

Technically speaking, Bucky and Summer were still also newlyweds, and the irony wasn't lost on either one of them. There they were, two attractive and healthy newlyweds sitting on a couch with an ocean's worth of distance between them, watching fictional newlyweds devour one another and make passionate love on a very large TV screen, neither of them immune to the effects of the scene.

Summer was dying. Bucky wasn't faring much better. Summer hadn't had a single sexual encounter with a man since a few nights before Scott was put in prison - two years prior - and Bucky had enjoyed regular casual sex with Natasha until his engagement to Summer happened. While Summer had been deprived for much longer, they were both rather touch-starved and sexually frustrated. They were also growing increasingly attracted to one another and were equally determined not to let it show, resulting in the current stalemate.

Towards the end of the scene, _Bucky_ started shifting a bit. Summer looked over from the corner of her eye, nearly choking when he subtly moved _something_ and then crossed one leg over the other. Between what was happening on the screen and what was happening across from her on the couch, she was as bright red as a strawberry and... well, other things.

Then, at long last, the scene was finally over. Summer closed her eyes briefly in relief. She took a breath and tried to make herself relax, knowing she was sitting there as stiff as a board, but it was really no use. She was still ready or die or spontaneously combust, or perhaps go the second thing just before the first.

She snuck another glance over at Bucky. His jaw was clenched, visibly tense just like she was, and apparently she wasn't being nearly as subtle as she thought she was because he muttered, "What do you want?"

Nearly jumping out of her skin, Summer looked away so fast she nearly hurt herself and squeaked, "Nothing. Sorry."

... _Sorry_? Ugh.

He kept eyeing her long after she looked away, and she blushed even more deeply under his apparent scrutiny. Because she refused to look his way, she didn't know that he was mostly eyeing her bare legs and rather concentratedly taking in the way that her tiny little Batman-themed shorts did little to conceal a single inch of them.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally looked away and turned his eyes back to the TV. Summer let out the breath she'd been holding and wondered what the frick was taking Aemilia so long.

Ten more minutes passed, and Aemilia _still_ hadn't returned. In fact, by the time she finally left her bedroom and returned to her little spot there on the couch between Summer and Bucky, a full 20 minutes had passed and Summer looked at her and immediately asked, "What took you so long?"

Flushed and grinning like a moron, Aemilia shrugged and tried to appear nonchalant even as she replied, "Oh sorry, I just... got caught up in the conversation."

... Oh. _Oh_. It didn't take a genius to figure out why Aemilia's cheeks were a bright shade of pink and she seemed considerably more relaxed and... content than before.

Aemilia then looked up at the screen and groaned, "Oh, dammit. I missed that ass."

At that unexpected comment, Bucky and Summer both let out quiet chuckles and some of the previous tension was gratefully broken.

The rest of the movie went by without any further incident. The tragic ending had both Summer and Aemilia in tears, and when Bucky glanced over at them slightly judgmentally, Aemilia spat, "Oh, don't give me that look. I haven't forgotten how hard you cried at the end of _Return of the King_."

Summer eyes shot to them and she quietly muttered, "I bawl every time I watch that ending."

"So does he," Aemilia smirked while Bucky looked away and grumbled under his breath. "Sam and Frodo utterly destroy him."

Summer smiled brightly and Bucky narrowed his eyes at Aemilia. "Really?" Summer squeaked. "That's awesome!"

The credits now rolling on the screen, Bucky sighed and got up from the couch, taking his mug with him. "Thanks for the movie. G'night."

"Oh, wait," Aemilia said, making him stop and look back to her. "You said you had something you wanted to give me tonight?"

Bucky briefly glanced at Summer and shook his head. "No, it's... it can wait until tomorrow."

"No!" Aemilia protested with a smile. "You made it sound like a gift and you know how little patience I have when it comes to gifts."

Bucky hesitated. "... I'd really rather just -"

Aemilia then proceeded to make the cutest little pouty face the world had ever seen. "Please?"

He looked at her in mild alarm, then let out a sigh and rolled his eyes. "Fine."

As he turned and left the room to go and retrieve whatever this gift was, Aemilia grinned and told Summer, "Works every time."

"How do you do that?" Summer asked in awe.

"It's rather easy. He's much more of sucker than he lets on."

"Well, maybe for _you_ ," Summer pointed out. "I doubt he'd cave on anything for my sake."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Aemilia replied. "You should try it one day. And of course, if the pout doesn't work, just make sure you're wearing something low cut and he'll be too dazzled by your boobs to even hear what you're saying."

Summer gave a scandalized laugh but couldn't reply because Bucky was walking back into the room, holding something small behind his back. He walked to the couch and looked at Aemilia and sighed, "It's not a big deal. Just... something I saw and got."

"Okay," Aemilia smiled, looking up at him excitedly.

Bucky paused for a moment before looking down and just getting it over with. He pulled his hand out from behind his back and presented Aemilia with a little plush polar bear toy. It was all white and incredibly soft and fuzzy, and the polar bear was actually holding a baby cub in its little bear arms. There was a pretty snowflake patch on its belly, and Aemilia gasped and lit up happily as she took the little toy in her hands.

"Oh, this is so cute!" she gushed, her huge smile making even Bucky smile just a little bit as well. "The little baby bear! Oh, I love it. Where did you find this?"

He shrugged. "Just saw it in a store's window."

"And you thought of the baby?" Aemilia asked, and he gave a small nod. She then stood up and pulled him into a hug with the bear still in her hand, and Summer was fairly sure that she was hallucinating because this was one of the sweetest things she'd ever seen.

"Thank you," Aemilia grinned as she pulled away, even giving Bucky a tiny kiss on the cheek. His smile grew, and she told him, "I really love it. It means a lot to me."

He nodded, patting her back a little before they fully disentangled and Aemilia went back to gazing lovingly at the little bear. He then glanced at Summer, who was staring in something of a cuteness-induced daze, and then he said, "I'll go now. See you tomorrow, Mia."

"Okay!" she grinned. "Thank you again!"

He nodded and then looked awkwardly at Summer a few times before managing a quiet, "Night."

"Goodnight," she replied equally quietly, and then he made his dash for freedom. The door closed behind him, and Aemilia sank back down on the couch with the bear in her arms. Summer turned and looked at her with wide eyes. "... Did that really just happen?"

"It's not as rare of a moment as you think," Aemilia replied. " _That's_ who he really is underneath it all. He's a sweetheart and a good man. He sees stuffed polar bears in shop windows and buys them for his friend's baby who isn't even born yet," she said with a small chuckle. "That's who we all love so much."

Summer stared at the little bear, unsure of how to process this. What she had just witnessed had just had such a significant impact on her perception of Bucky and who he was that she could hardly comprehend it. This was the second glimpse that she'd gotten of the apparently sweet man that existed beneath all of the grumpy, angry layers that he protected himself with, and the more that she saw of that man... the more that she was starting to feel things that greatly confused her.

"It's okay, you know," Aemilia said with a small smile, interrupting her thoughts.

"What is?" Summer asked.

"To like him," Aemilia replied. "To want to get to know him better. I promise you that he's worth the effort."

"But I didn't... I didn't say that," Summer pointed out.

"Your eyes did," Aemilia said. "Quite clearly, too."

... _Well, dammit_.

Hating Bucky had been easy. It had made sense. He'd been horrible at first and had terrified her, so hating him was the logical reaction to that. But then time had gone on and they had finally called a truce, and ever since then she had been seeing different sides to him that challenged the way that she thought and felt about him. The little polar bear was just the latest thing on a growing list of events that she was trying to make sense of.

If he wasn't a soulless, heartless monster, then what was he? A troubled soul, a tortured man who was redeemable after all? Maybe he _was_ the good man that his friends swore that he was, even though he clearly didn't believe it himself. Maybe that was the problem. Maybe he needed to believe it. Maybe he needed someone to help him do so.

She wasn't ready to do that. She wasn't a fan of the idea of one person _saving_ another, and she knew that he wouldn't take kindly to that concept anyway. But maybe - _maybe_ \- she _could_ try to get to know him better. She might not have been a true wife to him, but she could at least be his friend. There was certainly no harm in trying.

And the fact that it was a stuffed polar bear of all things to inspire this idea within her was nothing short of hilarious and yet somehow oddly fitting. She certainly could no longer doubt that he had a heart after all, and judging by what she had seen, a rather healthy sized one.

Aemilia grinned at her and asked knowingly, "Do you have a _crush_ , Summer?"

Summer's eyes widened and she felt as if her stomach dropped out of her body entirely just at the mere suggestion. Aemilia then started giggling when she was incapable of giving a coherent answer.

... If she wasn't screwed before, she was _definitely_ screwed now.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: hey everyone! So this week I bring you a Halloween-themed chapter, and while I don't celebrate the holiday myself, this was quite fun to write and I hope you lovely readers who do celebrate it have fun this week :D Also, as you guys can see, this chapter is LONG and I've been working on it for what feels like ages but was really only like... 8 days lol but MAN. GAH. I am WORN OUT.**

 **On another note, I know that some of you last week expressed frustration at the lack of Bucky/Summer interaction last chapter and a few even mentioned that there isn't much chemistry between them at this point in their opinion, and I just want to say that I understand the frustration and yes, this is a very slow burner, and I really appreciate all of you following the fic week to week and being patient because MAN do I know how that is, haha. All I can say is that midnightwings and I have been meticulously planning this thing for over a year and that the timing and pace is very deliberate and I stand by it all 100%. The emphasis on Summer's relationship with Aemilia and Lizzie and the others is also deliberate because unlike in my other fics, I want Summer to develop on her own mostly independent of Bucky. The dynamics here are different and, in my view, she's much better served growing and developing more on her own and not wrapping up her sense of confidence in Bucky or needing him to kickstart it, like in LAD. That worked there but it really doesn't here, as he's in no position currently to be that for her. But of course, this is still a Bucky/Summer fic first and foremost and the main emphasis will always be on them. But Summer's growing a lot in these early chapters and she needs these other connections first before we can really get to the main event :) As to the chemistry thing, idk man... I just really disagree lol. It's a slowly building chemistry and they're far from comfortable around each other, but I've done my best to have that spark building between them from the start. And hopefully, if nothing else, this chapter will help showcase that :D If not then hey, I get it and I hope you guys continue to leave feedback, good, bad, or somewhere in between :D**

 **Thank you guys SO MUCH, each and every one of you for reading, reviewing, following, and all in all continuing to blow my mind with your loyalty and support :D also extra massive thanks to midnightwings96 for helping SO MUCH with this chapter, with the costumes and ideas and just EVERYTHING. It felt like it would never end but I got through it with her help and I love her more than Kanye loves Kanye. Yes, I quoted an outdated meme. SUE ME.**

 **See you guys next week! :D hope you all enjoy *winky face***

Chaos. Everything was chaos.

Terrified and with nowhere to hide in the dining room that had just apparently become a battlefield, Summer hid behind the massive table and watched as a group of nameless, faceless men converged on her husband and attacked him with every weapon in their arsenal. They were dressed in all black, their faces covered, and though Bucky was greatly outnumbered, he didn't seem to care in the slightest. He simply stood there and waited for them to come, one by one, like they were nothing but flies needing to be batted away.

She was scared. She'd never seen anything like this, and nobody was there to help Bucky fend them off. Where _were_ everyone? Why weren't they here, fighting these men off?

But, as it turned out, the others weren't needed. As each man attacked, Bucky took them out one by one. He turned their own weapons on them, taking their daggers and sending them through their eyes and blasting holes into their chests with their guns, but for the most part, he killed them with his bare hands. A snapped neck here, a crushed sternum there, broken bodies littering the floor around his feet as he moved with a graceful, elegant, and utterly brutal fluidity that was as beautiful as it was terrifying.

When only one man was left, Summer watched as her husband threw his body into the air and wrapped his thighs around the intruder's head. With one effortless, swift twist and a sickening crack, the man's head fell as limply as his body and he hit the ground, dead and gone like all the others.

Then, chest heaving and fists still clenched at his sides, Bucky turned and looked directly at Summer. The moment their eyes connected, she felt as if her heart had dropped into her stomach and someone had shoved her head into a furnace. His eyes were sharply focused and deadly, cheeks flushed from exertion and hair down and loose around his face. He was dressed in black, body still tense like the fight wasn't quite over yet, and when he started walking - no, threateningly _strutting_ \- her way, every nerve in her body went on high alert.

He never broke eye contact with her once. Then he was suddenly right in front of her, and before she could blink, he'd slammed her against the wall and she hit it with a loud gasp.

He body was pressed against hers, his natural heat and scent overtaking her senses, and she looked up at him with wide eyes. Hands that had been on her shoulders moved to either side of her head on the wall, trapping her where she stood, and she opened her mouth and stuttered, "What - wh-"

"Shh," he urged her softly before one lone, long finger tipped up her chin. She hadn't even realized how she had been trying to shrink away and escape him until that moment, until their faces were nearly level and his lips were so unbearably close to hers. He exhaled and she could feel it wash over her lips, and then he murmured a string of words in Russian so low and innately sensual that they truly needed no translation to understand their intent.

Her eyes fluttered shut, heart pounding in her ears and _other_ places already throbbing too, and then a shiver wracked through her entire body as he skimmed his nose and lips down the side of her neck. He didn't even kiss her, instead just slowly dragging his lips along her skin, and when his reached her ear he growled softly, "You liked watching that, didn't you?"

She swallowed hard, eyes clenched shut and a slight sense of shame washing over her. She wanted to deny it but she couldn't, she _couldn't_ , because the sheer strength and power and brutality that he had displayed in slaughtering those men had terrified her as much as it had aroused her.

"Tell me, _wife_ ," he said, harshly hissing the last word as he forced her to look him in the eye again, and _God_ , she'd never heard a man's voice sound like _that_ before. "Tell me how wet you got watching me kill those men with my bare hands."

... She was going to lose her mind. Hardly able to breathe or think let alone speak, she tried to force some kind of response out of her mouth only to gasp instead when he unexpectedly slid a thigh between hers and pressed against her in the best way possible. His lips spread in a predatory little grin as she shuddered and bit her lip, and he watched her with dark delight as he started rocking gently but deliberately against her.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" he asked, cupping her cheek with one large, slightly rough hand. He traced his thumb over her lower lip incredibly gently, admiring her beauty and the way that she looked so far gone already, but soon it wasn't enough. " _Look at me, Summer_."

Her eyes flew open and met his as her hips moved and chased the friction that he was teasing her with. Her hands were clutching at his shoulders for dear life, and she wondered how long she'd been doing that.

His forehead pressed against hers, bringing their lips just a breath apart. "You could come like this, couldn't you?" he observed, grinding a little harder and earning a soft moan in reply. "All wet from watching me, fucking my thigh like a desperate little whore. Is that what you are? Underneath all that shyness and all that blushing?"

She didn't know anymore. Maybe she was. She just needed more - _God_ , so much more, _more_ \- and apparently she said as much because he chuckled darkly and, to her dismay, pulled his thigh away.

"Greedy," he noted. He cast his eyes between them and chuckled, taking her hand and placing it on his thigh to show her something. "Got my pants all wet. _Fuck_. You're even more desperate than I thought."

She whined and tried to hide her face in his shoulder only to then have her head wrenched back when he grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked it. "Look at me," he commanded, hand slipping between her thighs and into the soaked little scrap of lace he found there. "Look at me while I touch you."

She gasped at his first touch, barely able to keep her eyes open or even comprehend what was happening. She watched his gaze darken as he felt her, licking his lips as if feeling her tight, wet heat made his mouth water, and her vision was already getting fuzzy at the edges.

He expertly played with her, softly toying and rubbing and exploring and watching her reactions play out across her face. She writhed against his hand and couldn't contain her noises, already so close and so desperate for more but not so far gone that she didn't notice the hardness pressed to her thigh, seeking friction of its own.

But just when she knew she wouldn't last another minute, he pulled his hand away and grinned devilishly at her dismayed whimper. "Oh come on," he teased, thoroughly enjoying her torment. "Think I'd let you come that easily? You haven't even earned it yet."

... Earned it? She looked at up him with wide, confused eyes and meant to ask him what the hell he wanted from her, but then he rendered her speechless by bringing his fingers to his lips and casually licking them off. Her mouth hanging open almost dumbly, he maintained eye contact until he groaned and briefly closed his eyes, cursed roughly under his breath, and picked her up and spun them around before she had a chance to even understand what was happening.

The next thing she knew, she was flat on her back on the dining room table, right in front of where he sat to take his meals every day, and he was opening her legs and looking down at her like he was going to _devour_ her.

The bodies of the men he'd killed were still in the very same room and not very far away from them, but neither of them seemed to care in the least. Bucky kept his eyes locked with hers as he kissed up her thigh, biting here and there and making her yelp, sucking a mark or two for her to find later, and once he was close enough to inhale her scent, he asked her lowly, "Gonna be good for me?"

She whimpered again and tried to babble out a response, but that only made him chuckle.

" _Better_ be good," he said, settling in closer, "'cause that's the only way I'll let you come."

"... How?" she asked, that single word the only one she was capable of at that moment.

"Be nice and loud for me," he grinned back

before giving into what they _both_ needed, simply pulling her panties to the side and burying his face between her legs.

She let out a noise she'd never made before in her life. She also knocked over a glass from the table and sent it shattering to the floor in her desperate and vain attempt to find something to hold on to, and she might have fallen off the table entirely if not for the iron grip that Bucky had on her. He had both of her legs thrown over his shoulders as he blew her mind, seemingly barely holding on to his own self-control as he he groaned and breathed hard through it all, and she'd never experienced anything like it before. She was overwhelmed, out of her mind, and every bit as loud as he'd told her to be. She couldn't have held back even if she'd wanted to.

When she was on the brink of losing her mind, he unexpectedly reached up and pulled down the top of her dress just far enough to expose her breasts to the cool air. Then his hands were on them, adding another dimension of sensation to her already-overloaded body, and finally it all became too much. Both of her hands holding onto his and hanging on like she'd break if she didn't, she arched off the table and her thighs quaked around his head as she cried loud enough to wake the entire manor.

Her release left her boneless and half-conscious after, but he took care of her and helped bring her back down to earth. He carefully dropped her legs down, letting them dangle off the table, and while she recovered, he took off his shirt and got his pants pushed down far enough to be out of the way for what would come next.

She stirred out of her daze when she felt soft, warm lips kissing along the swell of her breast. She squirmed and bit her lip when his tongue flicked hotly against her nipple, and he didn't stop teasing her until her hand went to his hair and she whined for him to come closer.

Lying on the table beneath him and looking up at his shirtless, beautiful, tattooed form, with his long, slightly graying hair falling around his face and tickling her cheeks, she was at an utter loss for words. He stared down at her so intensely and so full of desire that she could hardly stand it. She pulled him down almost desperately, both hands buried in his hair as his lips met hers in a deep, passionate kiss.

Heart exploding in her chest, she moaned into his mouth and couldn't get enough. Kissing him was like playing with fire and nobody had never been more happy to burn alive than she was. He kissed her roughly and possessively, like no man ever had before, and when she felt him grind against her - no clothes in the way, just bare skin against bare skin - and she broke their kiss only so she could gasp against his lips, " _Please, please, Bucky_ , I..."

That devilish grin was back. He ground against her harder, _so close_ to taking her but stopping just short, murmuring, "You what? Tell me, wife. What do you need?" He teased her, pushing against her tauntingly and asking, "This? Is this what you need?"

She rocked her hips up in a desperate attempt to take what she needed, but he only just eluded her. He chuckled and she groaned, her entire body heating up with a blush as he said, "You want it, you gotta be a good girl and beg me some more."

She groaned and opened her mouth, letting mindless pleas fall from her lips until he was satisfied. He kissed her to silence her and then took her breath away in the best way possible, finally _taking_ her and filling her up and giving her everything she needed, right there on the dining room table where anyone could have walked in and found them.

She moaned and savored every last perfect, sweet sensation, the mild, pleasant ache of being so full and so close to him, and she looked up just in time to catch the dark, blissful look on his face. His eyes were closed and his lips were parted, body taut with the effort to maintain his control, but then his eyes flashed open and met hers. Her heart flipped in her chest, and then he was moving and there was nothing in the world but _them_ and this crazy, unexpected, beautiful moment between them.

He didn't keep it slow for long. He claimed her with every thrust of his hips and touch of his mouth, made her truly his and controlled her every movement, and she had never been more content to submit to a man before. When he pulled one of her legs over his shoulder and shifted their angle, stars burst behind her eyes and she cried out to the ceiling, amazed at what this man could make her feel.

"That's it, baby," he groaned next to her ear, taking her harder and rougher as they both neared their ends. " _God_ , you feel so _fucking_ good. You gonna be a good girl for me and come one more time?"

She moaned out an affirmation, one hand still in his hair and the other leaving a trail of scratches down his back, and she felt herself already so close to tipping over the edge again that she could hardly take it. As he pounded her into oblivion, his own pleasure quickly following, he left one last kiss to her lips before looking her in the eye and growling, "Come on, Summer. _Come on_ , come for Daddy."

Those words shocking her to her core and pushing her over the edge and making her nearly scream in ecstasy, she did exactly as he said. It was exquisite, powerful, perfect and so utterly mind blowing that she somehow fell off the table in the process.

And it _hurt_. In fact, it hurt a lot more that it should have, and as she recovered from her earth-shaking orgasm, she opened her eyes and looked around in bleary, bewildered confusion.

She wasn't in the dining room. She was on the floor and in her bedroom, and she was alone. She was wearing pajamas instead of a dress that had been bunched at her waist, and there was definitely no sign of her husband anywhere. Or dead bodies, which was really was the biggest relief.

She looked up at the clock on her bedside table. It was 7:34 AM, one full minute shy of when her alarm was set to go off. And it had all been a dream.

... It was just a dream. She hadn't witnessed Bucky killing anyone with his thighs. He hadn't shoved her against a wall and talked dirty to her until she lost her mind. He hadn't laid her down on the table and devoured her like a particularly delicious dessert or slammed inside of her until they both screamed in pleasure.

 _Come on, come for Daddy_.

Her eyes widened and she went painfully red with embarrassment. " _Daddy_ "?! It was bad enough that she'd had a sex dream about him at all - the kind where she could feel _everything_ and the orgasms were _very_ real - but... _a Daddy kink?!_ Seriously?

Then, with a loud _bam_ , her door burst open and Sam came barreling inside, gun out and eyes narrowed and body tensed for a fight. She squeaked with fear and exclaimed, "Sam, what the hell?!"

"I heard screaming," he said, clearing the corners and scanning his eyes over the entire room. "What's going on? Are you okay? Why're you on the floor?"

... Oh God. This wasn't happening. This could _not_ be happening.

"I'm fine," she groaned. "I was just... I was dreaming."

Sam raised a skeptical brow. "Dreaming?"

"Yeah, I... had a nightmare," she lied. It was a lot easier of an answer than the truth, that was undeniable.

Sam slowly lowered the gun, taking a minute before he allowed himself to believe her. "Just a nightmare?"

"Yeah," she confirmed, smiling and shrugging to appear nonchalant when really she was dying inside. "I guess I even fell off the bed."

"Damn," he said with a sigh, holstering his gun. "Must have been a hell of a dream."

He had no idea. "Oh yeah. Sorry about that. I don't usually really talk in my sleep or anything."

"Yeah, I know," he replied. "That's why I was worried."

Of course, the reason for that was the fact that Summer typically never had sex dreams, and if she did they were usually awkward and involved odd props or horrifying interruptions. They rarely involved _anything_ like what she'd just experienced, and _holy crap_ she still felt like she was gonna lose her mind.

Her heart was still racing, eyes still dilated, and her skin was damp with sweat and... other natural things. Well, less damp and more thoroughly and uncomfortably soaked, but she was trying not to think about that.

"Phew. Well, all right, now that I'm definitely awake," Sam chuckled, the tension in his shoulders deflating, "I'll leave you alone. Sorry about that."

"Oh no, thank you," Summer smiled, getting up to her feet. "Better safe than sorry, right?"

"Definitely," he nodded. "See you when you're ready to hit the office. And remember - big day today. Halloween party later."

"Oh yeah! Right. Thanks," she said, watching Sam turn and walk out her door. The moment it was shut behind him, Summer closed her eyes and flung herself on her bed in a dramatic fit of humiliation.

What a way to start the day.

It had been five days since the fateful movie night with Aemilia and Bucky, and Summer's mind had been quite the odd and tumultuous creature since then. Her dream seemed to be the latest and, so far, most dramatic symptom of that.

She blew out a deep breath and opened her eyes, staring up at the ceiling. It had felt so _real_ , every last bit of it. She'd even felt the slight scrape of day-old scruff on his face as they'd kissed, and she had definitely felt everything _else_. _Everything_.

She groaned and rolled over, smushing her face into the covers. How the frick was she supposed to look him the eye now? It was hard enough to act even semi-normal around him, and now she was just screwed. And not in the fun way, like in the dream.

But she had other things to worry about. Namely, like peeling herself out of bed and getting ready to meet Natasha for their regular morning training in about 20 minutes.

First, she rolled out of bed and started rooting through her laundry. The staff washed it for her and she _hated_ it, because she never knew what was clean and what wasn't if she didn't do it herself but apparently that sort of thing was forbidden. She was pressed for time so she just grabbed the first t-shirt and shorts that she found and then headed into the bathroom, going through the rest of her morning routine as quickly as she could.

Teeth brushed, clothes changed, face washed and hair in a ponytail, she made her way out of the bathroom and out of her room with only minutes to spare. Natasha didn't like it when she was late, and she tended to make her run an extra mile outside for every minute that she was tardy. Nat was evil like that, so Summer all but ran down the stairs and through the halls that led to the training room and threw open the door with a breathless, "Sorry I'm late, please don't make me run around the..."

Her words died on her tongue and she froze where she stood in the doorway, eyes wide as she stared not at Natasha but someone else entirely. Someone whom she had been dreaming about very vividly less than half an hour before.

There Bucky stood in all his glory, tying up his hair and wearing just a white tank top and dark sweatpants (the same ones, she noted, that he wore on their movie night with Aemilia). He looked up at her and spared her the quickest of glances before explaining, "Natasha had somewhere to be. I've been wanting to check your progress, figured this was a good time to do it."

... _Crap_. Crap crap crap. _Crap_.

Frick.

Swallowing down the painfully dry lump in her throat, Summer feigned nonchalance and stepped inside, letting the door swing shut behind her. "Oh. Okay."

This was unbelievable. Having her skills tested by Bucky - not to mention all of the physical contact that would involve - would have been hard enough on a normal day, but _this_? This was utter cruelty on the universe's part, and she didn't appreciate it. In fact, she was quite angry. Or at least she would be later, once the shock and panic wore off.

She could do this. She could totally do this.

They got ready in silence. Summer could hear herself breathing, feel herself thinking, and for one mindless moment, she legitimately considered pretending to be suddenly ill with something so she could flee and take shelter in her room. It wasn't only because of how close to him she was going to be forced to be, but also because she still felt mostly useless when it came to self-defense and she didn't want to embarrass herself. Natasha she was comfortable with now, but Bucky was _quite_ another story.

"So," he said, breaking the silence as he came to stand just a few feet from her at the center of the room. "Nat tells me you're doing well."

She blinked. "She _has_?"

"Says you're focused and pay attention," he continued, "and that you're motivated. But that you get frustrated easy because you want to progress faster."

"... That last part sounds about right," she admitted.

"I've been doing this since I was 13," he told her. "Nat started even younger. You're not gonna be as good as us anytime soon, if ever."

... Well, at least he was honest.

"But that's not the point," he added. "You don't _have_ to be as good as us. Aemilia's only got a few years under her belt and she can take down a roomful of men twice her size. You're gonna get there too."

He said that with such confidence that it took her by surprise. Maybe she wasn't giving herself enough credit after all. Besides, Natasha wasn't the sort to speak well of someone if they didn't deserve it. She was as brutally honest as Bucky was.

"Now turn around," he said, walking backwards. "You're gonna show me what you've learned."

She turned around and closed her eyes for a moment, praying that this wouldn't go as badly as she feared it would. Bucky was such a huge change from Natasha physically that it was insane, and plus... he was _Bucky_.

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes, waiting. She didn't hear any footsteps but she didn't expect to, either. He and Natasha were both silent as ninjas. She simply stood there and waited for him to strike, her every sense on high alert.

Finally, after making her wait nearly long enough to let her guard down, he was right behind her. He reached out and grabbed her wrist, and she reacted as she had multiple times before with her usual instructor. She whipped around and broke his hold easily, and he nodded and muttered, "Good. Again."

She turned back around and waited again. This time when he grabbed her, his grip was much harder and more difficult to break. She still managed to do it, but he made her repeat it over and over until he was satisfied with her ability to pull off that one basic move.

Then he told her to turn around again. She did as he said, expecting him to do the same thing as the last ten times, but she was wrong. This time he came up behind her and grabbed her shoulder, and she shifted gears and turned, grabbing his wrist and twisting his arm behind him, but stopping before she could actually hurt him. Then, like before, he made her repeat the move until he was satisfied.

He went through everything she had learned thus far in the same fashion. It wasn't so bad, she thought. He was bigger than what she was used to and had more muscle mass at his disposal than Natasha, so breaking his holds were more difficult, but she was making it work and it wasn't as awkward as she'd feared it would be.

But then, after half an hour of this, he stepped away from her and cracked his neck before saying, "All right. Now I'm gonna stop holding back, and I want you to _really_ fight me."

She widened her eyes. " _What_?"

"A real attacker isn't gonna be polite or stop when you ask him to," he pointed out. "The best way to learn is to be pushed to your limits. Now get ready."

Jaw hanging open, Summer turned around and swallowed hard. There went her tentative sense of comfort, right out the window.

This time when he grabbed her, it was much harder and faster than before. She whipped around and tried to break his hold and twist his arm, but he was essentially a brick wall and couldn't be moved. She held her breath and tried with all her might before giving up and backing away with a groan.

"Again," he said, and she turned around, briefly cursing his name. But she hadn't seen anything yet.

For the next ten minutes, in her eyes, it was all an exercise in futility. He kept attacking and she kept trying and failing to get away, and she didn't understand the point in it. She wasn't learning anything aside from how good he was at imitating a tree and not budging no matter what she did.

She hadn't realized that they'd been gradually moving towards a wall until she was suddenly slammed against it, both of his hands gripping her forearms and holding her against it. The minute her back hit the wall, she was suddenly reminded of her dream and the much different circumstances in which dream-Bucky had shoved her against a wall _there_. She looked up and realized how incredibly close they were, and it was enough to make all of her resistance fade and for him to notice.

"Come on, stay focused," he said, and she gritted her teeth and continued her vain struggle. "You can do better than that."

"... I really don't think I can," she admitted, face reddening from exertion, frustration, and his proximity all at once. He was almost pressed against her, and she could smell him and _feel_ him and she was _not_ okay.

"Think," he said, tightening his hold on her arms. "What would you do if this was an alley and I was some guy who was gonna hurt you unless you hurt me first?"

She paused and realized very quickly what she would do in that situation. She also realized how much _she_ was holding back, so without fully thinking it through, she acted on instinct and kneed him in the groin. He grunted in surprise and his grip went slack enough for her to break it and then knock him back with an elbow to the chest.

He staggered back and she realized with horror what she'd done. "Oh my God!" she squeaked, slapping her hands over her mouth. "I'm sorry! Did I hurt you? I just - you said -"

"No," he said, holding up a hand and shrugging her off. "I'm fine. That was good."

"But I -"

" _Stop_ ," he said, and she immediately shut up. "I _wanted_ you to do that. That's the point of me teaching you."

"... Okay," she relented quietly. "But I don't want to hurt you."

"Trust me," he replied lowly, "you can't. Now, again."

Taking his word for it as best she could, they jumped back into gear and went back at it. And while Summer maintained her cool on the outside, on the inside she was pretty much dead and dying, for a rather varied number of reasons.

It was the longest that the two of them had ever interacted one on one before. Bucky had barely broken a sweat and Summer was already nearing exhaustion by the time they reached the one hour mark, and she was a mess of nerves and tension that only grew with every touch of his hands on her body. All of it was innocent, of course, but in her dream-addled mind, he might as well have been seducing her. The way that he moved, the confidence in his every breath, the way that pieces of his hair had fallen out of his bun and occasionally tickled her face or her shoulder depending on how he was currently grabbing at her - it wasn't fair. None of it was even remotely fair, and she stood so little of a chance against him that it began to truly make her angry when he refused to give her a break and kept pushing her.

She was officially at the end of her rope by the time that she found herself literally stuck in his arms, her back pressed to his chest and his arms locked around her, pinning hers to her own chest. She knew what to do to try to break free, but try as she may to make her body move the way that she wanted it to, it simply wasn't working. And he refused to let her go until she broke free.

"What are you waiting for?" he taunted her. "You can do it."

"No I can't," she groaned, struggling and jerking against him, her already-racing heart going crazy when she felt his warm, heavy breath on her neck. "Just let me go."

"Oh come on," he grumbled, entirely too close to her ear for comfort. "You think I'd let you go that easy? You haven't earned it yet."

Her jaw dropped and she froze in his arms, going utterly still as shock washed over her entire body. That was almost word for word what he'd told her in the dream. And he had absolutely no way of knowing that.

... Yep, the universe hated her and was specifically out to get her on that particular day.

Taking a breath, Summer used all of her inner strength to refocus and concentrate on the task at hand. He really wasn't gonna let her go until she broke free, so she braced herself and then threw all of her remaining energy behind doing what Natasha had taught her to do in this scenario. She maneuvered her left leg behind his right one and twisted her upper body, throwing him off balance and elbowing him in the ribs as hard as she possibly could. And apparently neither of them were quite prepared for that, because the force of her hit took him by surprise and as soon as his arms were no longer holding her up, she lost her balance altogether. As a result, they both stumbled spectacularly to the floor, Summer first and then Bucky after her.

She hit the floor with a pained groan. He braced himself on his left hand, catching his fall and saving Summer from being squished by his weight. Then she opened her eyes and realized to her dismay that her already laughable existence had just taken a turn for the romantic comedy cliche route, and that he was now on top of her. _And_ halfway nestled between her legs for good measure. Because everything else just hadn't been enough on its own.

Both of them breathing heavy and looking at the other in surprise, as if they couldn't quite figure out how they'd gotten in that position in the first place, they both instinctively froze. Summer stared up at him, her blood pumping and skin tingling and mind reeling at how utterly beautiful he was, and he was staring back completely unreadably.

To diffuse the tension before she did something she regretted - like kiss him or blurt out every last detail of the dream she'd had - Summer mindlessly asked, "Was I good?"

She immediately cringed the minute the words left her mouth. Not only was her voice embarrassingly shaky, but asking _that_ when dream-Bucky had been so adamant about her being _good_ for him...

"Yeah," Bucky replied, voice lower and rougher than she'd ever heard it before. "You were good."

Then he glanced down at her lips, and her very soul caught on fire. Panic, anticipation, and arousal all crashing together and creating a veritable firestorm within her, she didn't dare move an inch as she waited for something - anything - to happen.

And something happened, all right. The door opened and two laughing people walked inside of the room, just in time to catch her and Bucky in their compromising position before Bucky shot up and away from her like she was made of fire.

 _Of course_.

"... Oh dear," a smooth, familiar voice said with clear glee. "Are we interrupting?"

Summer craned her neck to find Lukas and Aemilia at the door, Lukas appearing quite amused and fascinated while Aemilia was wide-eyed and grinning like mad.

"No," Bucky quickly replied, reaching down and, to Summer's surprise, offering her his left hand to help her back up. "We're done."

Her eyes caught the platinum gleam of his wedding band on his ring finger as she pulled herself up, and then she heard Lukas ask, "Are you sure you weren't just getting started?"

Now that Summer was on her feet, Bucky let her go and then shot Lukas a pointed look without saying a word. Aemilia was too busy still beaming at Summer to say anything, and Summer blushed like a crazy person before stammering, "Yeah, we're, uh... we're done. Actually I need to um... I need to go get ready for work now, so..." She glanced nervously at Bucky. "Thank you. For your help. And everything."

He nodded. "Yeah."

Chewing on her lip, she then turned around and grabbed her things as quickly as she could, unable to help her sudden urge to get out of there as soon as possible so she could go freak out alone. She quickly made her way to the door and, as she passed Aemilia, made a face at her that roughly translated to _I'm going to actually die_.

Aemilia seemed to understand, whispering, "What happened?!"

Summer mouthed the word _later_ and then finally, at long, long last, escaped the training room. But while she had made it to safety, Bucky was still in the line of fire and was being slowly approached by a swaggering, insanely curious Brit.

"So," Lukas grinned, strolling up to his friend, "you two appear to be getting rather... cozy."

Bucky sighed and asked wearily as he took his hair down so he could put it back up, "Can you do me a favor and go back to Germany?"

Lukas chuckled and retorted, "Oh, I've missed you too, darling. But I see that you don't need me to keep you company, since you found someone else to do it."

Bucky briefly closed his eyes and then shot Lukas a side-eyed glare. "It's not like that and you know it."

Lukas raised an eyebrow. "Do I?"

"Did Natasha take the day off?" Aemilia asked, trying to contain her inner glee a bit more effectively than her husband.

"Mission," Bucky replied.

"So you filled in for her?" Aemilia grinned.

"I wanted to test her progress," Bucky replied before narrowing his eyes at the couple currently grinning rather devilishly at him. "Stop looking at me like that." When they didn't, he rolled his eyes and muttered, "You guys are so fucking annoying."

"You love us," Lukas replied. "And forgive me if I'm mistaken, but might someone else be growing on you as well?"

"She fucking tripped us both and we fell," he snapped, wanting to nip this whole thing in the bud. "That's all you saw. I wasn't gonna do anything."

"Would it be the end of the world if you did?" Aemilia asked.

Knowing he was never going to worm his way out of this one, Bucky turned and started walking for the door as he grumbled, "I'm gonna go take a shower."

"Wait!" Aemilia said, jogging up to him when he stopped and turned her way. She smiled and asked, "Do you have a costume ready?"

He furrowed his brows in confusion. "A costume?"

She visibly deflated and groaned, "My Halloween party! It's tonight! I've been reminding you every day for the last two weeks!"

"... Oh. No, I don't have anything," he shrugged.

"How surprising," Lukas remarked dryly. "Really, dear, you shouldn't be surprised. It's been the same story for the last two years."

Pouting, Aemilia asked, "Don't you have _something_?"

Bucky shook his head, thinking for a moment. "I... no." He continued to think and then, as a last ditch effort to appease the woman, shrugged, "I guess I could just... wear a suit. Pass myself off as... Bruce Wayne?"

Lukas immediately scoffed. "That's a cop-out if I've ever heard one. That's as ridiculous as Tony always throwing on a suit every year and claiming to be -"

Aemilia suddenly grabbed Lukas' arm to make him shut up, her face lighting up as she smiled widely. "Yes! Yes. Bruce Wayne. Do that. Wear your best suit and just... slick your hair back a bit. That's brilliant. Perfect."

Lukas stared at her, bewildered. "It is?"

Aemilia slowly turned and looked at him very pointedly. He stared back for a few seconds before his brows shot up and he said, " _Oh_. Right. Yes, I see."

Bucky's eyes flickered back and forth between the two, expression entirely confused. "What? Why is it perfect?"

"No reason," Aemilia all but sang, grinning and shooing him away. "Go on. Go take your shower. And remember, the party starts at 8 tonight. Don't be late."

Still lost, Bucky stared at them both before Aemilia gave him another nudge. "Okay," he finally said, still wondering what the hell was going on. "See you later."

He walked out of the training room still annoyed and still confused, and once he'd cleared the room, Aemilia looked up at Lukas and narrowed her eyes. "How did it take you _that_ long to get it?"

"Well, my dear wife," he grinned wickedly, "let's just blame it on how thoroughly and completely you blew my mind with your little 'welcome home party' last night, shall we? I might not be functioning at full capacity for at least another week."

"... I'll accept that," Aemilia grinned back. Then she bounced on her heels a little and gushed, "Can you believe it, though? It's so perfect! And I don't care what he says, we clearly walked in on _something_. Did you see her face? I don't think I've ever seen it so red."

Lukas chuckled and gently nudged her chin with a lone, teasing finger. "Yes, my little matchmaker, I saw. With your help, I've no doubt that they'll be defiling each other by Thanksgiving."

"Well, maybe not _that_ soon," she said, "but yes. I think they're on the right path, don't you?"

"I certainly hope so," Lukas sighed. "I'm not sure how much more I can take of the stolen glances and their ridiculous pretending not to be affected by one another. It's already exhausting. And pointless. What are they waiting for?"

"Well," Aemilia said with a knowing smirk, "once he catches a glimpse of her in her costume tonight, he might just have a stroke."

"That's if he survives seeing _me_ in _my_ costume," Lukas pointed out cheekily, and Aemilia giggled and pressed a soft, short kiss to his lips.

"Oh, none of us will survive that," she replied. "And then once they see us together..."

"... We might just bring around the apocalypse," Lukas chuckled, kissing her again and greatly looking forward to the undoubtedly eventful and _very_ interesting night that awaited them.

Aemilia's annual Halloween extravaganza was always one of the year's most distinguished highlights, but they both had a feeling that this was going to be the best one yet.

* * *

Over the course of the rest of the day, Summer repeatedly tried and failed to get a minute alone with Aemilia so that she could recount her morning of doom to her. Between working their regular office hours and Aemilia making sure that everything was ready and perfect for the party, they barely shared two words throughout the entire day. Summer then tried to get ahold of Lizzie on her lunch hour, but Lizzie was apparently in court with Michael and their respective lawyers, negotiating the terms of their divorce. This left Summer with nobody she felt comfortable telling the story to, so she suffered in silence.

Then, once everyone was home and the party was quickly approaching, Summer seized on her best opportunity to finally get it all off her chest. As Aemilia got ready in her room, Summer quickly threw on her costume and grabbed the boots that went with them, then hurried to go and finish getting ready with Aemilia, like they'd planned the day before.

She burst into Aemilia's rooms and was immediately greeted with a call of, "Summer, is that you!"

"Yep!" Summer yelled back, following the sound of Aemilia's voice to her bedroom, which she'd never seen before. The door was open so she stepped inside, briefly became dazzled by the extravagant green and gold decor of the room, not to mention the enormous bed, then snapped her attention to Aemilia.

"Can you help me?" Aemilia asked a little desperately as she stood in front of a full length mirror, holding up her own costume and looking slightly frazzled. "I can't get this thing zipped and I'm panicking."

"Oh, sure," Summer replied, dropping her boots on the floor and hurrying over to her friend. "Man, I thought you'd be dressed already. I think the party's about to start in a few minutes."

"It _is_ , but I took so long getting Loki's makeup perfect that I lost track of time, and then I couldn't get this to zip and _ugh_ ," Aemilia groaned. "I ordered this before I even knew I was pregnant. Is it going to work?"

"... Yep!" Summer grinned triumphantly, having just gotten the darn thing to zip. "There! It's snug, but it's a good fit."

Aemilia's eyes widened as she stared at herself in the mirror. "... Oh dear God, I can't do this."

"What? Why?" Summer then looked in the mirror herself and gasped. " _Oh_."

"... I've gone up an entire cup size already," Aemilia bemoaned, staring at the most outrageous cleavage she'd ever sported in her entire life. "Seriously, overnight I went from normal to porn star and now I'm... I'm..."

"... Actual Poison Ivy," Summer grinned. "Like, you look like her in the actual comics, ridiculous exaggerated boobs and all."

"I can't," Aemilia shook her head, wild red curls swishing her. "It's too much. Nobody will look me in the eye."

"Excuse me," Summer said, putting an arm around her shoulders and standing next to her in front of the mirror, "yes you can do it, and you know why? Because you made me pick the most skintight catsuit available and told me to just suck it up and 'be my hot self', so I'm gonna say the same thing to you."

Aemilia groaned but then noticed something in their reflections. She looked at Summer, dressed as Catwoman with all but her boots on, and she noticed that she had the zipper pulled all the way up to just under her throat.

"Oh no, I don't think so," Aemilia said, grasping the zipper and yanking it down. "If I have to walk around with these things out and about all night, so do you."

"Whoa, not that low!" Summer protested, pulling the zipper back up to a more reasonable place. "There. That's my compromise."

Aemilia shook her head and pulled the zipper back down again, though a little less lower than before. "No, there. Keep it like that. Now we're even."

Summer sighed, looking in the mirror and seeing nothing but boobs staring back at her. Together they made quite the picture, Catwoman and Poison Ivy and their assets on quite the display, which made them all the more realistic to the characters themselves. Summer had the goggles and cat-eared cowl on, her long hair straight and free flowing underneath it, and Aemilia definitely looked the part of a plant goddess.

"Fine," Summer sighed. "But if I lose my nerve and pull this thing up later, don't be mad at me."

"... I'll just come over and pull it right back down," Aemilia grinned back.

Then Summer heard the sound of the suite'd door opening, and Lukas' voice rang out. "Darling, are you ready yet?"

"Almost!" Aemilia called back, that frazzled look returning as she shot off towards the bathroom. "I just need to touch up my makeup and then I'll be ready."

"Good, because everyone's already here and starting without you," Lukas called back.

Summer, now alone, blew out a breath and started examining herself in the mirror. She adjusted the goggles sitting on her head and inspected her makeup, deciding it was fine. She looked down at her chest and barely hid a grimace before reminding herself that it was Halloween and if there was ever a valid excuse to wear a revealing skin-tight catsuit, this was it.

She was still staring quite critically at herself when suddenly there was someone behind her. Her eyes flew up in the mirror and then nearly fell out of her head altogether as her jaw dropped and she let out an embarrassing squeak.

Lukas, dressed up as the most suave and _British_ Joker that the world had ever seen, grinned and asked playfully, "Why so serious..." he looked her over, taking in her own costume, "... Kitten?"

"Oh my God," Summer gushed, turning around and looking at him in awe, one hand dramatically covering her mouth. "You are..."

"Stunning, yes," Lukas grinned. "I know." And he truly was. Wearing a finely tailored, undoubtedly designer suit in a less outrageous shade of purple than usual, an orange waistcoat and green tie completed the outfit. His face was nothing short of a work of art, makeup neither garish or over the top. Aemilia had truly worked magic with it, flawlessly contouring his cheekbones and painting a permanent smile on his face in a way that was terrifying without being cartoonish or silly, and his hair was lightly slicked back and sprayed a dark green color. There had never been a Joker who looked quite like this before, sophisticated and chilling and terrifyingly alluring - fitting, considering the man wearing the costume.

"Yeah, um... _wow_ ," Summer stammered, openly gawking at him until her brain somewhat caught up to what was happening around her. "... Did you call me _kitten_?"

"Well, Catwoman seemed too obvious and I wasn't going to call you the _other_ word for cat," he chuckled. "Besides, it rather fits you, doesn't it?"

"Yeah... kinda, I guess," Summer shrugged. "I'm sorry, I can't really focus on anything you're saying right now. I'm just... kind of... dead."

Lukas chuckled, and then Aemilia came rushing out of the bathroom announcing, "I'm ready!"

One look her way and Lukas' entire demeanor changed and became truly predatory, his eyes taking her in and soaking her up as she shot him a grin of her own. Summer might have felt like she was intruding had she not been too busy admiring them both and absently noting what an unconventional couple that Poison Ivy and the Joker would make.

"You look utterly ravishing, darling," Lukas all but purred, stealing a kiss from her that was light enough not to smudge the makeup on either of their faces.

"Why thank you," Aemilia grinned back as Lukas' eyes dropped to her chest and proceeded to glaze over with heat. "You don't think it's too much?"

"Woman," Lukas all but growled, meeting her eyes, "you could wear this every day for the rest of your life and it _still_ wouldn't be enough." Summer honestly agreed. Decked out in a skintight, low-cut green leotard covered in leaves and her body airbrushed green with vines twining up and down her limbs. Combined with her auburn hair fixed in a gorgeous mane and her makeup impeccably done, she was a Poison Ivy to remember.

Aemilia giggled, stealing another short kiss before glancing at Summer and remembering that they weren't alone. "Oh! And Summer," she said, stepping away from Lukas and handing a small tube to Summer. "Here, put this on. My favorite shade of red. It'll be the perfect finishing touch."

As Summer grinned and gratefully took the lipstick, Lukas gently reminded Aemilia, "Actually, isn't the finishing touch in our closet?"

Aemilia's face lit up and she exclaimed, "Oh, right! My goodness, I'm not even through the first trimester and I'm already getting pregnant brain." She then walked over to their huge walk-in closet, disappeared for a moment, and then walked out holding something that made Summer blush and nearly choke.

"... You... got me a whip," Summer noted as Aemilia grinned devilishly and handed it over to her.

"Well, you _are_ Catwoman," Aemilia pointed out. "And she's just not the same without her whip. It would be like me without my leaves or the Joker without his... ah..."

"Insanity," Lukas grinned. "Or lipstick. Either or, really."

"Exactly!" Aemilia grinned. She then plucked the lipstick from Summer's other hand and said, "Here, I'll apply this for you. By the way, I'm curious, what's your mother wearing?"

"It's a surprise," Summer said with mild trepidation. "She wouldn't tell me. But as soon as I told her that we were gonna be Catwoman and Ivy, it was like a light bulb went off in her head and she started ordering stuff on Amazon."

Aemilia paused. "Oh. Do you think..."

Summer nodded. "Probably."

"Well, if that's the case," Aemilia chuckled, "Tony is going to lose his mind."

After a few more moments spent chatting and finishing getting ready, including Summer finally putting on her leather high heeled boots, it was time to make a fashionably late entrance to the party. Lukas offered Aemilia an arm and then did the same for Summer, and she took it with a blush and a smile that she shared with Aemilia. Lukas' Joker had a much greater appreciation for ladies than his canon counterpart, that was clear.

Then they made their way downstairs. The staircase was lined with cobwebs and spiders and hanging lanterns that matched the decor of the rest of manor, which Aemilia and Frieda had been in charge of, but the real star of the show was, of course, the ballroom. And the minute they stepped inside of it, Summer was in Halloween heaven.

The ballroom was bustling with guests already, all dressed up and hitting the punch bowl (which was full of a mysterious dark liquid that looked alarmingly similar to that _shot of mischief_ that had done Summer in) underneath a ceiling full of elegantly scary decorations. Ghosts, zombies, witches, all of the staples were there, and when guests first entered the room, they were greeted by an animatronic zombie Santa Claus who bellowed a truly horrifying _ho ho ho!_ whilst chewing on a bloody severed head. Summer took one look at it and nearly jumped out of her skin and even screamed a little. It was _creepy_.

"Tony built that," Aemilia rolled her eyes. "We'll never be able to invite children so long as he's around."

Summer laughed and let go of Lukas' arm when Darcy came running up to her and gave her a hug, dressed as a "sexy Princess Peach", apparently, and Summer realized as she glanced up and briefly scanned the room for signs of her husband that she and Aemilia had never had their talk.

 _Dammit_. The universe was still plotting against her, clearly.

"Come here, come with me," Darcy said, taking her boss' arm and dragging her into the crowd. "You've gotta see Esteban and Nicolo. There's a reason why I'm a slutty Peach."

"Oh no," Summer chuckled, and as soon as they passed a few people and came upon the couple in question, her eyes widened and she nearly expired on the spot.

"Hey guys, look!" Darcy said as the two men turned around. "Boss lady's Catwoman!"

... And _they_ were "sexy" Mario and Luigi, clad in _just_ the pants and suspenders and wearing the appropriate "A" and "L" hats, plus fake mustaches. Summer clapped her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing while their jaws dropped and they both startled whistling.

"Oh my God!" Esteban exclaimed, looking at Summer with wide, impressed eyes while Nicolo did the same. He reached over and grabbed Nicolo's arm and said, "Nic, hold me. She's trying to turn us. Don't let her."

Summer laughed and pulled them both into hugs, replying, "No, blame Aemilia. First she talked me into this costume in the first place and then she kept pulling the zipper down every time I tried to pull it up."

"Good for her!" Darcy chirped.

"Yes," Esteban agreed, "she was doing God's work, as always."

Summer rolled her eyes and then grinned, "Well, thanks. By the way, I love the... sexy Mario theme."

"Right? It's great," Darcy said, flipping her blonde wig and putting her hands on her hips. Her bubblegum pink dress was similar to the traditional Peach dress, but a plunging neckline and enormous slit in the skirt made it definitely not for kids.

"See, I was worried at first," Nicolo confessed. "Because technically Mario and Luigi are _brothers_ , so -"

Esteban threw his arm around his husband and declared, "Not tonight, Sweet Cheeks!"

Darcy made a face and Summer laughed at the way that Nicolo cringed a bit. Then another member of her office team came over, armed with drinks for everyone and dropping her jaw when she saw her boss.

"Oh my God!" Wanda exclaimed underneath a mass of bushy, frizzy hair on top of her head. While she naturally had quite smooth, relaxed hair, today it was enormously fluffy and big, and coupled with the Hogwarts uniform that she was wearing, it was clear who she was supposed to be. "Holy... _wow_!"

"... Thanks," Summer blushed with a quiet giggle. "Are you Hermione?"

"Yes!" Wanda smiled, pulling out a wand from seemingly thin air. "Is the hair crazy enough?"

"Definitely," Summer laughed. "It's blocking my view of half the room!" Wanda laughed and then Summer asked, "Is your brother here?"

Wanda sighed and gave an exasperated sort of smile. "Yes, he is. With a date."

"Oh. Who?"

Darcy then grabbed Summer's shoulders and turned her in Pietro's general direction. "Right there. Get a load of _that_."

Summer searched for a few seconds before her eyes landed on the man in question. Pietro was dressed as a gallant knight, toting a shield around and everything, but Summer didn't see his date. Frieda was standing next to him looking like an actual queen - dripping in diamonds and a glamorous tiara on her head - and it took Pietro curling an arm around her waist and dropping a kiss to her cheek for Summer to realize that _she_ was his date.

"... Holy frick."

Darcy nodded and sighed. "Dude, ever since her husband croaked, she's been _getting down._ I'm totally jealous."

Meanwhile, across the ballroom, someone else had seen the innocent little cheek kiss as well, and they were _not_ happy.

"Aemilia," Lukas said, staring hard at the sight of his mother cozying up to one of his employees, "am I hallucinating or is _that_ actually happening?"

Aemilia turned away from the person she'd been chatting with and opened her mouth in surprise upon following Lukas' gaze. "Oh my. No, that is _definitely_ real."

Grasping Aemilia's hand, Lukas marched right up to Frieda and Pietro, and as soon as Frieda saw them she smiled happily and pulled Lukas into a hug first, then Aemilia. "Oh, _there_ you are! I was wondering what was taking you two so long," she smiled. Then she briefly put a hand on Aemilia's arm and said, "Once again, my dear, you've outdone yourself."

While Aemilia smiled and graciously thanked her mother in law for the compliment, Lukas stared Pietro down in a way that would have most men cower in fear. Pietro, to his credit, stood his ground but didn't look especially confident, trying to ignore the tiny little death-lasers being shot out of Lukas' eyes but mostly failing.

"Where is Summer?" Frieda asked curiously. "Is she here?"

"Yes!" Aemilia grinned, pointing to their left. "She's right over there. She's Catwoman tonight."

"Oh my, she looks incredible," Frieda remarked before turning to Pietro and patting his chest. "I'll be back, darling."

They shared a small kiss before she left, all but abandoning him, and the minute that she was out of earshot Lukas growled, "You're fired."

Pietro paled. " _What_?"

Aemilia rolled her eyes. "You're not fired."

"Yes he _is_ ," Lukas hissed, still glaring at the other man. "You walk in here, in _my_ house with your filthy paws all over my mother and -"

The fact that Lukas was saying all of this while dressed as the Joker might have made it all even more terrifying than usual. "But I - _paws_?!" Pietro repeated, dumbfounded. "I've done nothing wrong! She asked me to be her date and I said yes, that's all!"

"And that's _fine_ ," Aemilia replied, the voice of reason. "Don't mind Lukas. We all know how protective he is."

Lukas then raised a single, threatening finger and pointed it at Pietro as he seethed, "I swear to all the gods above, both real and not, I will make you regret the day you were born if you hurt my mother in any possible way. I can cause you pain like you've never imagined. I could kill you _slowly_ and _intimately,_ ways in which your pathetic little mind could never even dream _,_ and nobody would ever know. You would simply disappear. So keep that in mind, _Maximoff_ , and watch your back."

Lukas then stormed off, ever the drama queen, and Aemilia let out a deep sigh and gave the now-white as a ghost Pietro a sympathetic smile. "Well then, on that note, I do hope you enjoy the party."

Pietro stared back at her blankly, still frozen in fear, and that was when Thor wandered over. He was dressed as Zeus - toga and all - and he pulled Aemilia into a boisterous hug and clapped Pietro on the shoulder before asking with concern, "Are you all right? You look as if you've seen a ghost."

"He is your mother's date tonight," Aemilia explained, "and Lukas just put the fear of God into him because of it."

Thor glanced across the room at his mother, then back at Pietro, then back and forth a few more times. Then he smiled a little and made a vaguely grossed out sort of face before cheerfully informing Pietro, "Well then! I wish you the best. And if you hurt her or do anything to displease her, I will break you in half. Have fun!"

He then walked away, and Pietro briefly closed his eyes as Aemilia giggled and Wanda walked over, deciding to join in on the fun.

"I _told_ you to keep it in your pants," she said, sipping her drink. "But do you ever listen to me? Of course not."

Pietro groaned and muttered, "I need a drink. Or five."

"Open bar is that way," Aemilia grinned, pointing behind her, and together the twin knight and witch began trudging their way there.

Meanwhile, Summer was being hugged by the queen of the universe and enjoying having quite a bit of praise heaped on her head. "You look amazing!" Frieda told her, nudging the whip that Summer had wrapped around her waist to keep from having to lug it around. "And that's a nice touch."

"Oh thanks," Summer giggled. "It was from Aemilia. And you look... wow! You look like a real queen," she gushed, gesturing to Frieda's golden, shimmering gown and matching crown. "Where did you get that tiara?"

"Oh, it was a gift from T'Challa on my last birthday," Frieda smiled, shrugging like it was no big deal to receive a crown from a king on one's birthday. "It's quite pretty, isn't it?"

Summer stared with wide eyes. She'd expected the crown to be a piece of costume jewelry, not something worth probably more than the entire manor. "Uh... _yeah_ it is."

Frieda smiled and then linked her arm with Summer's as she then took her on a brief stroll. "I've been wanting to tell you, dear, that I am very impressed by the... _grace_ you've shown since you came here. I've been quite busy lately and I haven't gotten to know you as well as I'd like, but I've heard such lovely things about you from a lot of different people. Have you been settling into your new job well?"

A little thrown by such kind words, Summer smiled back and replied, "Yeah! I think so. I like my job a lot. And it keeps me busy."

"Good, I'm glad to hear it," Frieda replied. "And have you and Bucky grown any closer?"

"Oh... no," Summer shook her head, surprised by the question. "I mean, we... get along now, I guess. It's a lot better than it was at first, but we're still not..."

"I understand," Frieda nodded. "But perhaps with time." Then she brought their little stroll to an end and turned to Summer with a gentle smile and said, "I'd like it if you had tea with me tomorrow afternoon. It would give us some time to talk, and if you'd like, I could show you photos of your husband and my boys when they were children growing up together here."

"Oh, I'd love that," Summer smiled back. "I can't even imagine them all being little kids."

"They were quite the troublemakers," Frieda chuckled. "Especially when the three of them were all in cahoots."

"Who's in cahoots?" Tony asked, suddenly appearing at their right and throwing himself into the conversation.

Frieda raised an eyebrow at him and asked, "Dear, where is your costume?"

Tony glanced down at himself and the designer suit he was wearing and said, "Pretty sure it's on me."

Summer furrowed her brows. "Are you a... CEO or something?"

Tony rolled his eyes and let out a great burdened sigh, as if the costume was obvious and nobody was getting it. "Oh, for God's sake, guys. I'm Robert Downey jr."

Frieda grinned and turned to Summer with a wry grin. "Same costume every year."

"Well, now that you mention it, I do see a resemblance," Summer nodded to Tony. "Even if it is a bit of a cop out of a costume."

"Hey now," Tony said with false indignation. "I'll have you know this costume took a lot of preparation. I had to comb my hair. And... find this suit buried in the back of my closet."

"Do you need a nap after all of that?" Frieda asked as Pietro returned to her side, mostly recovered from Lukas' brutal tongue lashing.

"Ha-ha," Tony scoffed, eyes narrowing on Pietro in mild confusion. "Wait a minute. Hold on. Why did he just walk up and put his arm around you?"

"He's my date," Frieda replied with a small smirk.

Summer subtly gave Pietro the thumbs-up as Tony paused. "... Huh. Well, what do you know. Congrats, kid."

Pietro's sass resurfaced as he shot back, "Jealous, old man?"

Tony was about to answer when a voice Summer knew _very_ well interjected, "What's he got to be jealous of?"

All eyes turned in the direction of the voice, and Summer's jaw hit the floor. "Oh my God, _Mom_!"

Lizzie had arrived at last, and if her goal had been making a splash, she had certainly achieved it. True to Summer's earlier suspicions, she had dressed up as Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn and despite her age, she pulled it off damn well. Her long blonde hair was up in pigtails, ends sprayed red and blue respectively, and she was toting a baseball bat on her shoulder as well as wearing the essential _Daddy's Little Monster_ t-shirt and tiny shorts with fishnet stockings and high heeled black boots.

And Tony was staring at her like she had just personally walked out of his greatest fantasy and into reality.

Lizzie tossed him a wink and sidled up to him, leaning an arm on his shoulder and blowing a bubble of gum in his face. She then popped it and grinned, "You oughta shut your mouth before something flies in it."

Tony gulped and slid his arm around her waist, staring at her for another reverent moment before glancing at Pietro and asking, "What were you saying about jealousy?"

"Holy crap, Mom," Summer laughed, staring at her in disbelief. "You look... super hot."

"Good, because I haven't eaten in two weeks," Lizzie admitted while Tony went back to ogling her. "Being a 52 year old Harley Quinn isn't easy, let me tell you."

Tony blinked. "You're 52?"

She turned back to him and raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? Is that a problem?"

"Definitely not," he smirked, decided to throw another jab at Pietro. "Look who else has a hot older woman on his arm?"

"You're nearly 47, Tony," Frieda pointed out.

"Still counts!" Tony insisted.

"Let's just all agree that you both have super amazing hot older ladies and call it a day," Summer suggested with a smile, but of course, two men as annoying and competitive as Tony and Pietro couldn't quite accept that.

After a few more moments of squabbling, Frieda eventually grew bored and left to go and chat up Natasha, who was dressed as the sultriest Jessica Rabbit that the world had ever seen, and Lukas and Aemilia made their way back to Summer and proceeded to nearly gasp at the sight of Lizzie.

"Aw, Puddin'!" Lizzie squeaked girlishly as soon as she saw Lukas, throwing her arms around him and laying a big, noisy kiss on his cheek as Aemilia and Summer both laughed. "There you are!"

"Oh dear," Lukas laughed, hugging her back. "Well, it would seem that the gang is all here."

"Tony, take a picture," Aemilia said, tossing him her phone as the girls lined up to take a picture with the Joker.

"Yeah, yeah, sure, I'll play paparazzi," Tony sighed as he snapped a few pictures of the four of them. Then he handed the phone back to Aemilia and tugged on Lizzie's hand, saying, "Now if you'll excuse us, I need a minute with the good doctor."

Tony succeeded in pulling Lizzie away from the group, and as soon as they were clear he threw an arm around her shoulder and murmured near her ear, "So, at any point tonight are you gonna ask me if I wanna rev up my Harley?"

Still smacking her gum between her teeth, Lizzie looked at him and replied, "Honey, nobody's taking this Harley for a spin until the divorce is final."

"Ah. Bummer. But okay, that's fine," Tony nodded, though he was dying inside.

"... But we can make out."

He turned back to her, brows nearly hitting his hairline. "Right now?"

"Now, later, all of the above?"

"... God bless America," Tony groaned before changing course and steering them to the nearest coat closet.

Meanwhile, back in the crowd, Aemilia wondered aloud, "Where in the world is Bucky? He's coming, right? He didn't back out?"

Lukas checked his phone and shrugged. "As of two hours ago he was still coming, but you know him. He spends an hour on his hair alone."

Summer grinned and swallowed down the mysterious punch she was working on. "He does?"

Lukas gave her a tired look and said, "Darling, if you only knew how many hair care products that man has in his bathroom."

Her eyes grew wide. "Really?"

Lukas nodded. "More than me, and that's saying a _lot_."

As Summer marveled at the idea of Bucky secretly spending hours in his bathroom fussing over his hair and putting all sorts of sweet-smelling products into it, Aemilia glanced over the crowd and bit back a laugh. The person she was looking at noticed and proceeded to make his way over, and Aemilia tapped Summer's shoulder so that she'd look as well.

Summer looked and then smiled and shook her head. Scott was dressed up as Ace Ventura and was currently imitating his walk as he strolled up to them, and Summer noted, "Yep, he hasn't changed a bit."

"Did I miss the memo?" Scott asked once he approached them. "Everybody's all dressed up as DC villains and I'm - _oh my God, Summer_ ," he suddenly exclaimed, covering his eyes as soon as he noticed how visible her ample cleavage was. "Warn a guy, would you? I've been trying _not_ to get murdered by your big scary husband."

"Oh please," Summer rolled her eyes. "It's not like you haven't seen them before. A lot. And besides, he's not here anyway."

"Yeah he is," Scott replied. "I saw him when I first walked in. By the way," he pulled out his cell phone and pulled up his camera roll, "check it out. Got to take Cassie trick or treating earlier, and I think the earth might have actually imploded from cuteness overload."

As Summer gasped and smiled hugely at the pictures of Scott's adorable little girl dressed up as an all-purple princess, Bucky was finally making his way into the party with Steve and his SHIELD partner Clint alongside him. He always showed up late to these things on purpose, because large groups of costumed people were always easier to deal with when they were drunk and happy.

"Man, this place really _is_ insane," Clint said, looking around the manor in a state of awe. "Are all the toilets made of gold?"

Bucky ignored him and Steve replied, "Not the ones I've seen. But I think some of the silverware is."

"... Wouldn't that make it goldware or goldenware or something?"

As Bucky wondered how Steve put up with his partner's annoying self day in and day out, they walked by a closet that Bucky heard a crashing sound come from. Eyes narrowing, he came to a halt outside of the closet door and then pulled it open.

Inside the tiny enclosed area, Lizzie and Tony sprang apart like two teenagers who had been caught making out by one of their parents. Bucky froze in mild horror and Lizzie smiled and waved, and Tony worked his jaw a bit and wondered aloud, "Was I chewing gum before?"

Steve, trying to avoid the secondhand embarrassment, looked away as soon as he could. Clint, on the other hand, poked his head around the door and smiled, "Hi, I'm Clint."

Lizzie waved again. "Hi. I'm Lizzie. But Harley Quinn at the moment."

"Robin Hood," Clint replied cheerfully, holding up his bow for proof.

"Yeah, yeah, now if you will excuse us," Tony said, reaching for the door and pulling it shut again.

"... Does that sort of thing happen often around here?" Clint asked Bucky. He got a wordless glare in response, and then they were walking again.

"He doesn't really talk to people he just met," Steve explained. "Don't take it personal."

Ignoring them both, Bucky kept walking and glanced at the watch on his wrist, then looked up and frowned at the sight of Sam chatting it up with Darcy. They were laughing up a storm, and Bucky wasted no time in approaching them and stealing Sam's attention for a moment while Steve and Clint headed off in search of drinks.

"Hey, what's up?" Sam asked, noting the serious look on Bucky's face.

"You _do_ know this isn't a night off," Bucky said quietly.

"Yeah, of course," Sam replied. "She hasn't left my sight. Don't worry."

Bucky nodded, glancing through the crowd and spotting the back of Summer's head. She was with Lukas and Aemilia. "Okay. S'just because of the the last party and what happened..."

"Yeah, man, I know, trust me," Sam said understandingly. "But it's just us here tonight. Already checked over the whole guest list three times. Everybody's good, everybody's accounted for."

Bucky nodded, relieved to hear that. "Good." Then he furrowed his brows and asked, "Why are you shirtless and holding a stick of deodorant?"

"I'm the Old Spice guy," Sam grinned. At Bucky's blank expression, he asked, "Have you really never seen any of the commercials? Do you even get cable in your room or just old depressing Russian war movies?"

"Mostly hardcore porn, actually," Bucky deadpanned, walking away and letting Sam get back to dazzling the pants off of Darcy. He needed a drink if he was gonna deal with all of these people in their ridiculous get-ups. He'd already spotted Thor in a toga and Steve was dressed up as Mr. Rogers - as in an old-man cardigan and pants - and it was likely to only get worse from there.

He headed to the bar, which was where Natasha happened to be at that moment. He briefly glanced at her outrageous Jessica Rabbit-style dress and mentally groaned, not even letting his head go down that road as he stood next to her and ordered his own drink.

"Well, hi there," she said, raising an eyebrow at his "costume". "And what are you supposed to be? Hippie President of the United States?"

Bucky sighed. "I'm Bruce Wayne. Now leave it alone."

"Yes sir," she teased. "So how was training this morning? Did you fill in for me like you promised?"

Bucky nodded, forcing an air of nonchalance. "Yep."

"And?"

"And she's where you said she'd be. Motivated, listens well. Impatient." He left out the parts about how good her hair had smelled, how soft she'd felt in his arms and how strangely potent that moment on the floor on top of her had been.

"Mhm," Natasha said, sipping a martini. "And?"

He glanced at her, giving nothing away. "And what?"

Natasha rolled her eyes. "How long are you gonna keep this up?"

He looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure, whatever you say." She paused. "Have you seen her costume yet?"

Bucky shook his head, taking the large glass of whiskey that had just slid his way. "Nope."

"Well, try to keep your mouth shut and your pants on once you do."

He scoffed and took his first drink. "I don't think that's gonna be a problem."

"You might be surprised," she pointed out, keeping her eye on him. "I like her. She's sweet. I think she would be good for you."

Bucky dropped his head back in dismay and groaned, " _Fuck_ , not you too, Nat. Please just... don't."

"Why?" she asked, even though she already knew the answer. "You have to admit, she's pretty tough. I thought she was gonna come here and make everything miserable but she hasn't. She's even stood up to you a few times, from what I've heard. You find bravery attractive, right?"

He took a breath and clenched his jaw, pretending not to hear her. Natasha merely sighed and said, "Fine, be all broody and ignore me. I just happen to want to see my friend happy for the first time since I've known him. Sue me."

Bucky looked at her then, knowing those words came from the heart and were genuine. But they didn't change anything. He shrugged and said, "Ship's already sailed."

"Maybe not." She then let her eyes scan lazily over the crowd, and she quickly spotted the new face within it. "Who's that?"

"Who?"

"Robin Hood," she clarified.

"That's Clint, Steve's partner," Bucky replied.

She paused. "... Partner at SHIELD or _partner_ partner?"

Bucky nearly choked on his drink, hiding a grin. "SHIELD partner."

"That's what I thought, but one can never be too sure," she chuckled. "He's cute. I'm gonna go say hi."

She then finished her drink and sauntered off, easily making her way through the crowd and quietly approaching the unsuspecting archer. Bucky watched as she made her move, saying hi to him and causing him to turn around and visibly jolt at the sight of her. While Clint turned into every cliched cartoon character who had ever sprouted heart eyes and started madly thumping their foot due to a beautiful woman speaking to them, Bucky rolled his eyes and finished his drink. Then he grabbed another headed towards Lukas and Aemilia, and by extension, his wife. Better to just get it over with than try to avoid them all night.

Thor caught up to him first, being his usual loud and gregarious self and giving Bucky one of his famously bone-crushing hugs. Once Bucky narrowly escaped with his life, he continued on his way only to then get accosted by Frieda next, who told him how handsome he looked and took a picture with him before returning to her date, which was the bartender from Lukas' club. _Weird_ , but whatever. Frieda deserved all the fun she could handle after what she'd endured at the hands of the now-dead father of her children.

Then, by the time he finally got to his original destination, the people that he'd been trying to get to were gone. He sighed and rolled his eyes, and before he could turn around to search them out again, there was a tall body behind his and a low, British voice hissing in his ear, " _Ah, Batsy... you... complete... me._ "

Narrowing his eyes, Bucky muttered, "Do you have to get so fucking close to me? I can feel your breath on my neck."

"And yet I've no doubt that you'd like to feel more," Lukas teased, leaving a kiss on Bucky's cheek that Bucky tried and failed to squirm away from. "Oh stop it. You love me."

"Debatable," Bucky lied, shoving him away and turning to face him. "Where is everybody?"

"By everybody I assume you mean our wives?" Lukas questioned with a grin. Then he pointed to their left and replied, "They're over there, dancing. I suggest we stand back and enjoy the show."

... Oh boy. Bucky followed Lukas' highly entertained gaze to the dance floor, and indeed, that was where the two ladies were. And Bucky wasn't prepared in the slightest for the sight that he was then assaulted with.

Summer was smiling radiantly, clearly having fun and enjoying herself, and she was wearing the most skintight catsuit he'd ever seen in his life. The goggles and cat ears on top of her head gave away who she was supposed to be - _Catwoman_ \- and the zipper of the suit was pulled down so low that she was quite literally spilling out of it. And the fact that she was dancing meant that certain things were bouncing and distracting him from ogling her high heeled boots, which were enticing enough in their own right.

But that wasn't all, not by a long shot. Aemilia was dancing behind her, both girls giggling and providing quite the show to anyone watching. While Bucky would never look at Aemilia in an inappropriate or leering sort of way, it was impossible to not be a bit overwhelmed by both of them dancing so closely in their costumes, especially considering how revealing both said costumes were.

Put simply, they were hot. And Summer looked so carefree, so seemingly happy, and for just a brief, fleeting, godforsaken moment, the mostly dead muscle of Bucky's heart ached, and he didn't even know why.

Then Summer's eyes drifted his way, and they made eye contact for a split second. She visibly stiffened for a minute and then turned around, continuing to dance with Aemilia and saying something close to her ear. Aemilia then glanced up and saw Bucky and Lukas watching, waved and smiled at them, and started replying to Summer.

Bucky let out a short breath and looked away. It figured that he'd ruin what had otherwise been a clearly fun moment for her, just by looking at her. She was still so clearly uncomfortable in his presence sometimes, and he wondered if she still feared him from time to time. He hoped not, but it was hard to think otherwise when she was so skittish.

"She looks rather rather stunning tonight, doesn't she?" Lukas asked knowingly, giving Bucky's arm a slight nudge.

Bucky had two options. He could either answer that question honestly with something roughly along the lines of _I want to throw her against the wall and absolutely destroy her,_ or he could lie and pretend as if he was wholly unaffected. In the end, he settled for something in between. "I never said she wasn't beautiful."

"Ah," Lukas grinned. "At last, a sliver of truth."

Bucky rolled his eyes, glancing down at his empty drink and deciding to go get another one. He was going to need it, that was for sure.

Once everyone in the crowd was good and drunk, Aemilia took to the stage to share a few words and thank everyone for coming to her yearly Halloween extravaganza. Summer grabbed a drink with Lizzie as Aemilia got started - she and Tony had finally finished eating each other's faces - and as Summer listened to Aemilia address the crowd, Lukas elbowed Bucky and muttered, "Are you simply going to ogle her all night or are you going to say hello?"

Bucky narrowed his eyes and immediately replied, "I'm not ogling her."

Lukas gave him a blank look. "If I had a nickel for every time I've caught you staring, I'd be a slightly richer man."

Bucky sighed and looked away. He really didn't want to talk to her at the moment, not when it would be such a struggle to maintain eye contact and appear unaffected, but as usual Lukas gave him zero choice in the matter. He waved Summer and Lizzie over, and the girls of course complied without hesitation.

As Aemilia giggled charmingly and announced that she would be giving away some prizes to a few lucky winners who had the best costumes, Lukas happily greeted the women again and Summer ended up next to Bucky, to both of their mild chagrin. She tossed him a shy smile and Bucky briefly made eye contact with Lukas before biting the bullet and telling her quietly, "You look very nice tonight." It was a much milder thought than what that catsuit of hers truly made him think, especially when she was standing right there next to him with that zipper so precariously low.

Her eyes rounded in surprise. "I do?" She then caught herself and smiled. "I mean, thank you."

He nodded slightly and then turned his attention back on Aemilia. Summer looked in surprise at Lizzie and Lukas, the former of whom gave the thumbs up and the latter of which winked at her.

"Um... you too, by the way," Summer suddenly added, snagging Bucky's attention back. "Who... who are you supposed to be?"

Bucky suppressed an inner groan and admitted, "Bruce Wayne."

"... Oh," she said, blushing a little, likely because she'd just pieced together that Aemilia had conspired for their costumes to be related. Batman and Catwoman, one of the most iconic couples in comic history, presented by Bucky and Summer who were definitely _not_ an iconic or real couple of any sort.

Anything else that she might have said was forgotten when Aemilia began giving the prizes away. The first title that she bestowed was Most Adorable costume, which went to Steve for his lovable old-man get up. He laughed his way up to the stage, blushed when Aemilia hugged him and handed him a bottle of outrageously expensive cognac, which was the standard prize being given to all the winners.

Next, Scott and Thor won their own bottles of poison for Funniest Costume and Life of the Party, respectively. Then she got a rather mischievous look on her face when it came time to announce Biggest Knockout, and when she announced Summer as the winner, Summer nearly had a fit and had to be physically pushed forward by Lukas and Lizzie to go and take her prize.

"She certainly earned that title, didn't she?" Lukas murmured to Bucky as they gave her a round of applause. Bucky couldn't argue, especially watching her step up to take the cognac and blushing as all attention turned to her.

Then it was time for the last pair of winners to be announced. There was stiff competition for the title of Best Couple, but in the end, the choice was clear.

Aemilia seemed particularly gleeful as she wrapped up her little awards ceremony. "And now for Best Couple...which was easily the most difficult decision of the night. The prize for Best Couple goes to my very own stunning, beautiful, _amazing_ husband, my Lukas, and our dear friend and comrade Captain James Barnes as, if I do say so myself, the sexiest Joker of all time and his soulmate, Bruce Wayne."

Aemilia grinned devilishly as the crowd immediately had a fit. Lukas immediately cracked up laughing, and Bucky made a face as if he'd just been ordered by Alexander Pierce to replace all the carpeting in the manor with Legos. But despite his glower, Lukas linked his arm and pulled him along to accept their little prize, and as soon as they were facing the crowd, he laid a big, wet kiss on Bucky's cheek and earned rousing laughter (and a few loud whistles, one of which came from Steve) from the crowd.

Standing next to Aemilia and clutching her prize in her hands, Summer blushed and giggled at the display along with Aemilia, who seemed quite proud of herself. But then her smile dropped off of Summer's face when Aemilia leaned in and murmured, "You know, they made out once."

Summer gaped and her eyes became comically huge. "They _did_? _When_?"

"High school," Aemilia grinned back. "Apparently they got very drunk and Lukas convinced Bucky that he needed practice kissing."

Summer's jaw hit the floor. "Are you kidding me?! Oh my God." She looked at the two men and immediately her brain began conjuring all sorts of increasingly filthy images, each more unspeakable than the one before.

"I know," Aemilia sighed. "What I would give to have been a fly on the wall for that little incident."

Before Summer could coherently reply, Aemilia gifted their husbands with the last remaining bottles of cognac. Bucky opened his on the spot and started drinking straight from it, giving a mock cheer to the crowd, and Aemilia thanked everyone for coming again and encouraged them to keep drinking and having fun because the night wasn't over yet.

After that, Summer grabbed Aemilia's arm and whispered to her in a rather urgent tone, "Meet me at the punch bowl in three minutes. If I don't talk to you about what happened this morning I'm gonna explode and die."

Aemilia grinned and agreed, and three minutes later, the crowd was back to its usual programming and the girls met at the punch bowl as planned. Unbeknownst to them, Bucky was just around the corner with his bottle of alcohol in hand, previously on his way to finding a bathroom when the sound of Summer's voice half-exclaiming " _Okay, now let me tell you about the fricking frickfest that_ was _this morning."_ He stopped dead in his tracks and zeroed in to the conversation, a little tipsy and more than interested in what she was going to say than he ever would have admitted.

"Yes, yes, do tell," Aemilia urged her, sounding quite intrigued. "Just how _did_ he end up on top of you?"

"Well, that was just because I tripped us and he fell on top of me, but no, listen, it all started before I even woke up. I had a _dream_ about him."

Bucky choked on his latest sip of the smooth cognac.

"What _kind_ of dream?"

"A... you know..." Summer then whispered something Bucky couldn't hear, but it didn't take a genius to figure out what was being said.

"Oh my God, tell me everything."

Bucky agreed with that particular sentiment.

"Well, uh... just... suffice it to say that um... it was in the dining room, and... he... killed a bunch of like... ninjas, and he killed one with his thighs - have I ever told you what his thighs do to me? And yeah, so, he kills all these dudes with his bare hands, then turns around and looks at me like I'm next, but then the next thing I know he's slamming me against the wall and like... uh..."

"... Ravishing you instead?"

"... Yep. That."

Bucky was staring off into space, hardly able to believe what he was hearing. The room was also getting uncomfortably hot. It was the room, right?

"There was a lot of... _talking_ ," Summer admitted. "Like, you know. Dirty things. A lot. And... um... so he threw me on the table and... yeah, let's just say that a lot happened and I felt all of it and I even..."

"You mean..."

"Yep. Twice. In the dream. And also in real life."

"... Oh my God."

"Exactly. And apparently I made so much noise that Sam came bursting in with his gun out thinking I was being attacked."

Bucky's mouth was now hanging open a little, eyes growing even more unfocused and cheeks a bit flushed from more than just the alcohol. She had dreamed of him... of _them_... having a night of wild passion on the dining room table. And the dream had gotten her off... twice.

Now his pants were getting tight. Fantastic.

"So then imagine my shock and my horror when I go downstairs to meet Natasha for training and end up finding him there waiting for me instead."

"... Oh dear God. You must have been freaking out so badly."

"Yeah, _freaking out_ doesn't even begin to cover it. I thought I was gonna die. But it gets worse."

"Oh no."

Oh no, indeed.

"We went at it for an hour. And he wouldn't give me a break. I mean, Natasha isn't exactly easy on me but he was merciless. And he was wearing a tank top and I could see a couple of his tattoos and he smelled really good and... ugh."

A shiver raced unexpectedly down his spine at those words. He had always known that she found him generally attractive - it was written all over her _very_ expressive face, the woman couldn't hold anything inside - but he had no idea that she was _that_ attracted to him. It was one thing for her to ogle his naked form while she was drunk and slurring about him being hot, but it was quite another to know that he affected her _that_ much.

"And oh! Yeah, so get ready for the kicker."

"I'm ready."

Bucky, on the other hand, was _not_ ready.

"He kind of... quoted himself from my dream. Well, almost. He said something while he had me stuck in the bear hug hold thingy that was only like one or two words off from something he said in my dream."

"What was it?"

Bucky's mind raced and gave him the answer as Summer gave the same to Aemilia. " _Oh come on... you think I'd let you go that easy? You haven't earned it yet._ "

He loosened his tie somewhat with his free hand and shifted where he stood. He was legitimately _sweating_ now and he was going to have to start thinking of dead puppies soon so that he could walk back into the crowd without poking anyone with -

"... How on earth did you survive all of this?"

"Well," Summer sighed, "suffice it to say that I had to change my pants _again_ after I left because it was like a waterfall in there."

This time Bucky groaned out loud and dropped his head back against the wall, eyes shut and body reacting very inconveniently to hearing her talk like that.

"Oh, you poor darling," Aemilia said with clear affection. "I wish we hadn't have interrupted. Maybe something could have happened."

... Maybe something would have, Bucky allowed himself to think for a moment. Maybe it all would have gotten to him and he would have leaned down and licked the beads of sweat off of her neck, ripped her shirt off and buried his face between those utterly perfect breasts of hers and then flipped her over on her hands and knees and bitten her shoulder while his hand went between her legs and he rubbed against her tight little -

Summer's scoff jarred him from his mini-fantasy. "Yeah right. He might have a thing for my boobs but I'm pretty sure he still can't really stand me and just wants me to go away. I mean yeah, we get along better and everything but... I'm under no illusions."

... And to Bucky's surprise, those words brought a genuine frown to his face. He couldn't even understand why in that moment, not in the least, but he just... didn't like it.

"Well... I wouldn't be so sure about all of that," Aemilia said. "I think you're definitely getting under his skin too. He just doesn't want to admit it."

"Well... I don't know." Then Summer paused and groaned, "My God, I'm dying all over again just from talking about it all."

Aemilia giggled. "Do you need a few moments alone? Would you like to retire to your room for a bit? You do have a nice shower head in there."

Bucky rolled his eyes and stifled another groan. He did _not_ need to think about that, about Summer wet and naked in the shower, her eyes closed and head tipped back as she held the shower head in her hand and let it pulsate over her heated flesh until she gasped and -

"You know weirdly enough, I hardly ever do that," Summer replied, and Bucky's mental image deflated like a popped balloon.

"Oh, so you prefer toys then?" Aemilia asked with a giggle. "I have an entire chest full of those."

"You... you _do_? But... why would you need them, when you have Lukas?"

"Well, darling," Aemilia replied mischievously, "I never said they were _all_ for me."

"... Oh! Oh. So... yeah. Lukas. Okay. That makes sense." She cleared her throat. "Wow. You guys are some kinky motherfrickers."

"Quite," Aemilia said with an audible grin.

"I actually don't really like vibrators that much either, though," Summer admitted. "Well, I don't _dislike_ them. I guess I just... I don't know. Just not that crazy about them, I guess."

"... Your poor wrist must be killing you," Aemilia joked.

"Well... I have other ways of... doing that."

Bucky's ears perked up.

"Oh?"

"Yep. My favorite's actually... uh..."

"... What?"

Silence. Bucky was on the edge of his seat, nearly breaking the bottle in his hand with how tightly he was holding it, waiting to hear Summer's answer.

She giggled nervously. "Uh..."

"Out with it, woman."

"Okay fine."

She paused. Bucky held his breath.

"... I really like pillows."

And that was the nail in Bucky's proverbial coffin. Muttering a very long, very quiet string of _fucks_ under his breath, he pushed off of the wall and walked away, ducking into a hallway that would take him to the main staircase via shortcut, all while images bloomed in his mind that made him ache with excruciating need.

He could just see her, imagining what she looked like under her clothes as he pictured her naked and riding a pillow in her bed, maybe on her hands and knees or maybe sitting straight up, holding on to the headboard for support as she rocked herself back and forth. He wondered if she was a gasper or a moaner - he preferred to think both - and if she'd touch herself, run her hands over her breasts, squeeze them, flick at her nipples, moan as her movements became more erratic and she finally made a mess on that fucking pillow -

Having reached his room in record time, he threw himself through the door and slammed it shut with his back, not even bothering to get to the bed or even a chair before he impatiently yanked off his belt and undid his pants. He reached down and found himself painfully hard and already leaking a little, and the first touch of his own hand had him biting back a moan and closing his eyes, focusing on that beautiful picture still in his head and wasting no time on delicate or teasing strokes. It was gonna be fast and hard and he couldn't help it, not while he could so vividly picture _her_ in the throes of her own pleasure.

He pictured the shy, awkward woman coming alive in the privacy of her own self-pleasure, losing her inhibitions and giving into instinct, to desire and want, long black hair cascading down her shoulders and her back arching and hands teasing herself as she grew closer and closer. He imagined her moaning, softly at first but increasingly loudly as she neared the edge, her own touches growing harsher and more desperate and hips rocking erratically on the pillow, rubbing just right and finally crying out to the ceiling as she came, hips not stopping but continuing until she came again and then _again_ -

He didn't hear his own voice gasping out a moan as he spilled over his hand, too focused on the imaginary voice in his head doing the same thing. Not even two full minutes had passed since he'd retreated to his room, but yet here he was, shaking and biting his lip and feeling nothing but short-lived bliss that he owed to a woman who thought that he still hated her and was only tolerating her.

Once it was over and his mind cleared by a fraction, he slid down to the floor and opened his eyes. It was then, as all the endorphins slowly wore off, that he realized what he'd done. He looked down at his lap, at his hand, at the mess he'd made, and he exhaled with despair and squeezed his eyes shut.

 _Fuck fuck fuck fucking fucking fuck_. He shouldn't have done that. He shouldn't have listened in on that conversation. It wasn't right. It was rude and an invasion of privacy and he was a dick for doing it, and now he'd gone and done _this_ and...

 _Fuck_.

He picked up the bottle of cognac from the floor - when had he even put it there? - and took a nice, long, miserable drink. Leave it to him to go and open a door he'd been successfully keeping shut for months now. He was a colossal fuck-up, and nobody could tell him any different.

He spent the rest of the night in his room, done with the party and having only his thoughts and alcohol for company. Summer, on the other hand, spent a few more hours having fun and dancing and wondering where Bucky had gone and why he'd left the party so early.

He fell asleep drunk and miserable, though not too self-hating to deny himself one more release after his mind had started drifting one more time. Summer, meanwhile, fell asleep in her room a little less drunk and a lot less miserable, and if some of Bucky's fantasy happened to take place in real life that night, he had no way of knowing it and she had no way of knowing that he'd been thinking about it so intently. They were both still incredibly far apart and distant from one another even though they were both linked in ways that neither of them were fully aware of, the hallway between them might as well having been an ocean.

They would wake up the next day and pretend that nothing happened, Bucky putting on his mask of indifference and Summer dancing on eggshells in his presence, the routine well-known by then but growing increasingly difficult the more time that passed.

Maybe one day the routine would break. Maybe it wouldn't. Either way, neither of them could deny any longer that there _was_ something between them. Whether or not they would ever act on it was another question entirely, and likely one that wouldn't be answered for some time yet.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: *waves excitedly* aaaaaaaaannnddd it's Thursday again! I can't believe I've actually stuck to this Thursday schedule for ten chapters lol and ALSO I can't believe this story broke 300 reviews at only 9 chapters! I LOVE YOU GUYS. I say it every week but I really REALLY mean it, and your feedback makes my whole week. It really does, and you're all so sweet I just want to hug each of you. And give you all cookies. LOL :D**

 **SO, we've got a doozy of a chapter ahead, and I'm excited :) stuff is happening, guys, and I've got a lot more up my sleeve along with midnightwings96. Our sleeves are chock full of tricks, trust me :-) in the meantime, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and I look forward to your feedback! See you guys next week! :D**

"Aren't you going to ask me how my date went?"

Bucky suppressed a groan and checked his watch, sitting on his motorcycle at the dead of night and quietly responding to the woman sitting behind him, "Wasn't planning on it."

"Oh come on," Natasha teased. "I haven't been on an actual date in years. You must be curious how it went."

"Not really," Bucky insisted, keeping his eyes trained forward.

"Is it because you disapprove of me dating a SHIELD agent?" she asked.

"... Well, that _is_ stupid, but no," Bucky shrugged.

"Your best friend is a SHIELD agent," she pointed out dryly. "Is that also stupid?"

"No, because I've known Steve since I was five," he replied. "You've known Chris less than a month."

"Clint. His name is _Clint_ ," she sighed. "And he's cute. He took me to a very nice Italian place uptown, was the perfect gentleman. Didn't even try to get in my pants at the end of the night."

"How noble," Bucky deadpanned.

"You know, you were a lot more fun to talk to back when we were sleeping together," she noted. "Maybe you should ask your wife out on a date. You could both stand to relieve some tension."

Blinking a few times, he furrowed his brows and glanced back her over his shoulder. " _What_?"

"Seriously, aren't you getting sick of having _just_ your hand to play with?" she asked nonchalantly. "I know _I_ was."

Fighting a faint blush threatening to rise to his cheeks, Bucky looked away and tried his best not to think about the woman who'd been haunting his thoughts during such... activities, but it was useless. Each time he swore it would be the last, but in the end he would always wind up giving in and picturing his wife in one filthy scenario or another. Looking her in the eyes these days was a _bitch_.

"I'm fine," he lied, "but thanks for your concern."

"You're full of shit," she noted.

Before he could reply, a voice told them both through the comm units in their ears that the team was in position. He wasted no time in turning on the engine and flipping on the light, Natasha holding on to him as he drove them out of the alley they'd been parked in and towards a warehouse a few blocks down. He had bigger things to worry about tonight than his depressingly deep levels of sexual frustration and the still-awkward relationship, or lack thereof, with his wife.

Tonight had been a long time coming, and if all went well, it would be an incredibly important step in his plan for vengeance. After weeks of anticipation, a window of opportunity had finally arrived and he was ready to apprehend a man who would be instrumental in reaching his _real_ target.

Deep in the bowels of Hell's Kitchen, Bucky parked the bike behind an old, empty building and then silently made his way to the warehouse in question with Natasha at his side. They'd been casing the place for weeks, and Bucky's men had confirmed that it was something of a base of operations for the Triad's drug trade. And tonight, the man who personally oversaw that division of their operations would be there. And _he_ was Bucky's ticket to his true ultimate target.

Once they were in position, Bucky and Natasha slipped inside the warehouse first, through a window after the alarms had been disabled. Others were stationed outside and on the roof, and six men slipped in through other entrances. They each cleared every side of the building and worked their way to the middle, where they then met and continued down to the basement, where the target should be.

But the lack of guards as of yet left Bucky slightly unnerved. They should have at least encountered a few, but so far there had been absolutely nothing. Taking point with Natasha behind him, Bucky quietly opened the door to a stairway that led to the basement, rifle at the ready as he took each step one at a time.

Then, once they rounded the last corner and reached the ground, they opened a pair of doors to find the vast workspace completely empty. Bucky furrowed his brows but didn't lower his gun, looking around at the rundown lab and blinking in surprise to find it all utterly desolate.

"Well," Natasha said, taking his left side, "this is anti-climactic."

"... The lead was supposed to be solid," Bucky said in disbelief. "This isn't right."

"I'm sorry," she said with genuine sympathy. "I know you wanted this guy."

But Bucky couldn't accept defeat so quickly. He scanned the room, checking every last crevice just in case, but he found nothing. He scanned all the tables, all the equipment, until he reached a desktop computer that was turned on but hibernating. Angrily, he reached out and jabbed at the spacebar and watched the screen flicker to life.

What stared back at him nearly made him sway on his feet. It was a scanned photo of two side by side obituaries dating back to 1991. George and Winifred Barnes, survived only by their son James, killed on the same night in their own home and soon to be buried side by side at a Brooklyn cemetery.

Natasha saw Bucky's face go white as he stared at the screen. She approached him carefully, quietly asking, "What is it?"

He opened his mouth to answer, but the words never came out. Suddenly there was searing hot pain burning through his right shoulder, and he let out a cry of shock before swiftly turning around and coming face to face with the masked man who'd just shot him. Then all hell broke loose.

They came out of nowhere, a seemingly endless barrage of armed Triad fighters who seemed to materialize from the very walls themselves to ambush the rival mobsters in their midst. Bucky left no less than ten bullets in the chest of the man who'd shot him, and once he ran out of ammo after killing three more he pulled a knife from his boot and proceeded to viciously kill every other man he could get his hands on.

Natasha took out nearly half of the men on her own, with a combination of her guns and her rather literal killer thighs. Their team took care of the rest, though two Bratva men were killed in the chaos and a third badly injured. Bucky had just finished slitting the throat of one man and had let his body crumple to the floor when he spun around to find a pistol staring back at him, aimed squarely between his eyes by the last Triad man left standing.

He stared back at the masked man without a trace of fear in his eyes, almost daring him to pull the trigger. Then a deafening crack of a gunshot struck the air, and a bleeding hole erupted at the center of the man's forehead before he fell lifelessly to the floor, revealing Natasha standing behind him with a smoking gun in her hand.

"You're welcome," she grinned at Bucky, looking no worse for wear herself despite the attack they'd just endured.

"Thanks," Bucky muttered back, surveying the numerous dead bodies in their midst. He approached his own two fallen soldiers and clenched his fists, blistering anger rising up in his throat. They had been two of his better men, more skilled than most and the most reliable. One was married. The other had a family who had been in the Bratva for three generations.

His shoulder bleeding and staining the black leather of his jacket, Bucky instructed his remaining men to take the bodies and treat them with respect, get them in car and cover them before returning to clean the mess. Then he picked up a half-loaded gun from the floor and walked back to that damn computer, still taunting him with the images of his long-dead parents.

"They knew we were coming," Natasha said, following him. "And why."

"Somebody sold us out," Bucky muttered back, the mere idea of such a thing making his blood utterly boil.

"Who would commit suicide like that?" Natasha wondered aloud, and Bucky shook his head.

Later on, he'd have to pay a visit to the woman who'd unknowingly been made a widow tonight and tell her of her husband's fate. Then he'd go and see the parents of the other man who'd been killed, because while these men had known the risks of working so intimately with the Bratva and specifically with its Captain, they hadn't deserved such sudden, pointless deaths. He always showed the utmost respect to the families of the men he'd lost over the years, personally notifying the family members even though he utterly hated having to do it.

But for now, he was _fucking pissed_ and one thought stayed at the forefront of his mind. "I don't know," he finally replied, "but when I find out who it was, I'm gonna rip their fucking head off."

He then raised the gun and shot the computer screen, shattering it and leaving a message for whomever would find it later. These fuckers were taunting him now - cruelly and personally - but he wouldn't let this setback affect his overall mission. He'd stay focused on his primary objectives and he wouldn't rest until the people he was after we're all dead in the ground, right alongside whomever had tipped the Triad off.

* * *

 _Five days later_

"Now be honest with me," Bruce said, leaning back in his comfy armchair and taking off his glasses. "How are you doing?"

Summer hesitated, shifting a bit in her own seat and pushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "Well... uh... you mean in terms of..."

"... Everything," Bruce nodded. "But especially with respect to the attack."

She blew out a breath and tried to briefly change the subject, knowing it wouldn't stick but figuring it was worth a try anyway. "Can I ask you a question? What kind of doctor _are_ you? Like, you patch everyone up and do exams but you're also kind of the family therapist?"

He chuckled. "I guess I'm kind of a jack of all trades. I actually specialize in biochemistry - I'm a scientist, not really a traditional _doctor_ \- but after I... retired early, I took on my current role. Which is much better than what I _was_ doing," he chuckled. "I like my job now. A lot less stressful. I don't do so well with stress."

Summer nodded, definitely relating to that sentiment. "Yeah, stress really sucks. Like, I thought college was stressful, and it _was_ , but... this is all obviously a whole other animal."

Bruce nodded understandingly. "Things at the office going well?"

She took a deep breath. "Yeah... yeah, I think so. I mean, I've had a few blunders but nothing too horrible. Everyone's been pretty nice to me, except for a few old men around the office but that's to be expected, I guess. Aemilia's been amazing since day one. She's probably the main reason why I haven't lost my mind yet."

Bruce smiled. "You do seem to have a good support system. That's an invaluable thing to have. How's your anxiety?"

Summer inwardly cringed a little. "Well... when I'm too busy to focus on it, not too bad. But if I have a quiet few days or not much to do, then it kind of creeps up on me."

"Any panic attacks?"

She paused, several recent incidents coming to mind. She focused on the worst. "Um... well, actually, at work the other day, there was this... guy. Maintenance staff. Janitor, I guess. And I kept seeing him everywhere I went that day. At first I didn't think anything of it, but then I started kind of worrying a little because he was looking at me weird and... yeah. So after lunch I was on my way to the bathroom, and he was walking behind me. I started freaking out and in my head I was flashing back to Rumlow because that happened at a bathroom too, and then the guy called after me and I just kind of... lost it."

"What happened?" Bruce asked gently.

"I uh... I maced him," she admitted with shame, cheeks reddening with embarrassment. "It turned out that he called after me because he'd just cleaned the bathroom and didn't put a wet floor sign up yet. He was carrying it over and trying to tell me to be careful."

"Okay," Bruce nodded, thankfully not judging her for her gut reaction. "Was he okay?"

"Yeah, eventually," she nodded. "I apologized like five hundred times and got some medics to come and check him out, flush out his eyes and everything. Then I had to get him to sign something swearing he wouldn't press assault charges against me, which was horrible because he was actually really nice about it all once I explained why I flew off the handle."

"Well that's good," Bruce replied. "Mace isn't fun but it's a relatively minor thing. Much better to do that than to cause actual injury."

"Yeah, I just... I was on autopilot," she said, recalling that strange, almost out of body moment. "I didn't even realize that I'd pushed the button. I meant to just threaten him, but all I could think was _Oh God, it's gonna be_ _Rumlow all over again._ " She frowned and then added, "So yeah, I guess I could be doing better."

"Well, we could _all_ be doing better," Bruce replied with a wry smile. "It's about doing the best you can and making the best decisions that you can. And that's not always easy, I know, especially when you're still dealing with something traumatic."

She nodded and then admitted, "Sometimes I still feel so stupid for letting it bother me so much when there's literally countless women who are actually raped every day, and I wasn't. I had people there to come and stop him and help me, and most women don't have that. I should be over it by now, but I'm not and -"

"Let me stop you right there," he said, leaning forward a bit and pausing as he gathered his words. "Just because something could have been worse doesn't mean it wasn't horrible. It doesn't mean that you should feel guilty _because_ it wasn't worse. There's always something worse that happens to someone else somewhere in the world. It doesn't make your own experience any less valid. And as far as 'getting over' it... look, everything fades with time. But it'll never go away completely. You'll always remember that fear and remember what it was like to think that nobody was coming and nobody was gonna stop him. It's a part of you now. You can't really move on until you accept that."

His words making her feel a little better, Summer nodded and mulled them over to herself for a moment or two. "I just... I was always anxious anyway, ever since I was a kid, and this has just kicked it into overdrive. I feel better when I'm with other people but I don't _want_ to because I hate feeling like I need them to protect me. It makes me feel useless and like a burden and... yeah."

"Well, we all need people," Bruce pointed out. "And you, you're in a very... complicated position, to say the least. But for what it's worth, you're no burden to anyone. Trust me. I'm the resident pseudo-therapist, everyone complains to me about everything. I'd know if you were."

Summer chuckled. "Oh, that must suck. I hope you're getting paid for listening to all of that."

"I can't complain," he smiled back. "I like helping people. Beats what I did before."

"I'm not even gonna ask what you did before," Summer replied, with a small smile. "So... you don't think I'm a nutcase or... stupid, or..."

"Definitely not," he assured her. "I think you're a pretty brave woman who's been thrown into a terrifying world that you never thought you'd be a part of, and that you're doing a lot better than a lot of folks would. But you're human and you have to allow yourself to _be_ human. You don't have to always be strong. Nobody is."

"You sure about that?" Summer asked with a nervous smile. "Bucky sure seems to be made of steel. I'm pretty sure he's at least half cyborg."

Bruce chuckled and shook his head. "Well, _him_ I can't tell you about because he won't talk to me. But I can assure you that he's also human and not made of actual steel. Even he has his weak moments, I can guarantee you."

"I guess," she sighed. "It's just... intimidating, I guess, to always be around these stone-cold people who live and breathe the mob and seem bulletproof. Not sure I'll ever really feel like I belong here, honestly, which... wouldn't have bothered me at first, but now it does and I'm not really sure what that says about me."

Before Bruce could reply, Summer's phone dinged loudly in her lap. She picked it up and widened her eyes when she saw the time. "Oh, crap, I've gotta go. My dad just got here. I'm supposed to have lunch with him."

"All right, well, my door is always open," Bruce smiled as he stood up with her, nodding politely. "You ever need to talk, you know where to find me."

"Thank you," she smiled back. "It really does help to talk about everything, even though it's not really easy."

"That's how it usually works," he nodded.

"Will you be coming to the gala tomorrow?" she asked as he started walking her to the door of his suite.

"Oh, I don't know," he shrugged lightly. "I tend to avoid things like that. I'm not a big party guy."

"Well, it's gonna be full of stuffy, boring rich people drinking overpriced champagne and comparing yacht sizes," she grinned. "But I'm hosting it, so I'm all for making as many people suffer with me as I can."

"Well, I'll think about it," he chuckled. "Take it easy, okay?"

"I'll try," she smiled, ducking through the door. "Thanks for listening to me whine."

"Anytime."

She smiled again and then waved goodbye, then hurried down the hallway towards the main staircase. She hadn't exactly been looking forward to seeing her dad for the first time since the wedding, but he had been calling her quite often and leaving dejected voicemail messages that provoked enough sympathy for her to invite him over for lunch. After all, he _was_ her father and she didn't want to cut him out of her life. Not completely, anyway. She could at least handle cordial meals every once awhile.

She found him in the drawing room, nervously pacing before she showed up in the doorway. He looked up and smiled and she gave a much more subdued smile back, then held her breath as he rushed forward and pulled her into a suffocating hug.

"Oh, Summer, my God, I've missed you so much," he muttered as she half-heartedly patted him on the back. Then he drew back and looked her over, adding, "You look really good. Are they treating you well? Are you doing okay?"

"Yeah, Dad, I'm fine," she assured him, taking a step back to withdraw from his arms entirely. "I've been _telling_ you that on the phone for awhile now."

"I know, but... it's just nice to see for myself," he said. Then he paused. "Have you lost weight?"

"I... well, yeah," she said, scratching at the back of her head. She _had_ lost a little more than five pounds since she'd started training with Natasha about two months earlier. "New, um... exercise regimen."

"Oh. They're not starving you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Dad, it's the mob, not a gulag. I'm fine." Then she turned and motioned for him to follow her. "Come follow me. I figured we could have lunch outside."

"Okay," he nodded, and together they walked in semi-awkward silence to Frieda's gardens behind the estate.

The thing was, Summer had never enjoyed a particularly good relationship with Michael. The deaths of her mother and brother when she was barely out of toddlerhood had left him a shadow of what he'd once been, and Summer had been too little to ever truly know that man. The one that she did know was an unreliable, easily angered, gambling and drinking businessman who always put his company before his family. Lizzie had been her rock all those years, both of them learning to navigate his moods and get by without him, to the point where Summer could go months without having a real conversation with Michael and not really notice.

He'd reaped the rewards of his mistakes, however, and now that he had lost Summer to the mob and Lizzie to divorce, Summer didn't want to kick him while he was down. She still held out hope that maybe someday he could become a better man, even though she was well aware of how unlikely that was. People rarely changed, and more than 20 years of experience told her that he wouldn't either.

Still, they sat down outside at a table surrounded by the natural beauty around them, the floral air providing something of a balm to Summer's nerves as they began to eat and engage in awkward small talk. There was only so much to talk about, what with Michael's boring job on the board of directors at Pierce, merely there as a seat filler to rubber stamp what the leadership wanted, and there wasn't a lot for Summer to tell him about either. They got by through mainly talking about work, and fifteen minutes passed in a state of semi-comfort before Michael broke it.

"So... are you okay? _Really_?" he asked with a clear glimmer of fear in his eyes, like he was afraid of her answer.

She immediately nodded, shoving another bite of salad into her mouth. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Everything's better than I thought it would be, honestly."

"Nobody's hurt you? Or tried?"

Inside, she froze at that question. On the outside, she shook her head and lied, "No. No, I've been fine."

"I just... these people aren't... they're not _good_ people," he said quietly, barely audibly.

"Some of them are," Summer replied without hesitation. "Aemilia and Lukas have been incredible to me since day one. His mom Frieda is super sweet, and his brother. Sam, my bodyguard, he's hilarious and I love him. Even Bucky..." she paused and cut herself off, not sure of where she was going with that.

"Who?"

"Bucky," she repeated. "My husband. It's what everyone calls him."

Michael visibly shrunk a little. "Oh. I didn't know that. He... he's been good to you?"

That was such a loaded question, Summer didn't even know where to start. "Well, I mean... at first we didn't get along and he was a jerk. He didn't want to marry me anymore than I wanted to marry him. But we eventually made peace. He doesn't talk a lot and he keeps to himself, but... he's very... protective. And... loyal. He respects me and my place here now. I think, anyway."

Michael seemed a bit bewildered by her answer. "I just... I hope you know that I didn't want any of this to happen. I was afraid that they'd kill you or Lizzie for what I did, and... I didn't even think it through before I said it, before I..."

"... Offered me up on a silver platter?" Summer asked with just the slightest hint of bitterness in her tone.

"I was just trying to keep you safe," he muttered, looking away and no longer even touching his own food.

"Well, you really should have thought about that before you got involved with the mob to begin with," she pointed out. "I mean, I seriously have no idea what you were thinking."

"I had a lot of debts," he replied, still not looking her in the eye. "I... I needed help, and they were there, and..."

"And then you screwed up again and lost your family and company in exchange for your life," Summer sighed. "Look, I don't want to hash this all out again. It is what it is and nothing's gonna change it. I'm making the best of a crappy situation and that's what you should be doing too."

He nodded, finally meeting her eyes again. "And I'm proud of you. I was so afraid of what was gonna happen to you and if you could handle it, and..."

"I did," she replied. "And I am."

He nodded again, something in his expression breaking when he then asked, "Is... is Lizzie doing all right here?"

"Oh, she's totally fine," Summer replied. "She took to this place like a fish to water, honestly."

"Do you think that maybe... I know the answer's probably no, but... the divorce isn't final yet, so... do you think there's any chance she might change her mind on it?"

Summer paused and involuntarily flashed back to the day prior, when she'd walked into Lizzie's room without knocking and found her and Tony making out on the couch like teenagers. It was a visual she really would have preferred to go her whole life without seeing. "No... probably not. She's, uh... pretty done, honestly."

What little hope that had been on her father's face faded instantly. "Oh. Okay. Yeah, I mean... that's what I thought, but..."

Summer furrowed her brows and looked him over, taking in the pale color of his face and the way that his hands seemed to be shaking a little. "Are you okay, Dad?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he shrugged. "Blood pressure's a little high so I'm on two new meds for that. Side effects are a bitch."

"Oh. Well... that sucks," she replied, wondering if he was telling the truth. "So... are you coming to the gala tomorrow? You're invited, being on the board and all."

"Oh no, I don't think so," he immediately shook his head. "I know nobody would want me there."

"Well, I'm hosting it," she pointed out, "and nobody objected to your invitation, so..."

He forced a smile and nodded but replied, "I'm glad you thought of me, but... I'll just stay home. Better for everyone that way."

"Okay," Summer said, letting it go. She certainly wasn't gonna push the issue. "But... are you sure that you're okay?"

He gave her a small, sad smile and asked, "Are you?"

At that moment, Summer didn't doubt that they were both hiding things from the other that they weren't willing to share for the sake of protection. Summer didn't want to worsen his burden by telling him of the attempted assault that she never would have experienced had he not sold her to the mob, and he clearly didn't want to share with her just how far his depression ran. It was just like their relationship had always been, mostly superficial and lacking any real depth even though they loved each other like any father and daughter did. It was infinitely frustrating, but it was what it was. He'd never change, most likely, but she felt like she was changing a little bit every day.

He'd never understood her, not really, and he likely never would. She would never understand him nor the choices he made either, and they would likely never overcome that particular impasse. But all that meant was that of everything in Summer's life that was changing so much, Michael was not one of them.

She bade him farewell after their lunch ended, enduring another overly tight hug and promises to come and visit her at the office sometime that he'd likely never fulfill. Then once he left, she felt both relieved and uneasy at once. She was glad that his visit was over, but something about it - about him - didn't sit right with her. He didn't seem well at all, and she doubted that it was just her imagination overreacting.

But she could think more on that another day. After all, she had a gala to throw the following night, and as with everything else, it had to be perfect. She went back to work, throwing herself fully into it as always and staying blissfully busy for as long as she possibly could.

Just another day in her new life, she supposed, and she couldn't find it in herself to complain. Things could certainly be a _hell_ of a lot worse.

* * *

Thankfully, the gala came together fairly easily and without any major disasters. It was the first major event at the manor that Summer had taken on since the Rumlow incident, and she was determined to get through it with her head held high and all traces of anxiety buried under a confident veneer. After all, the guests didn't know what she had been through, and if all went well, to them she would simply appear as a strong and friendly wife of the Captain who hopefully knew how to throw a party.

As she got ready in her room, she debated changing dresses at the last minute to one that would show off the tattoo on the back of her shoulder, just in case any of the guests ever doubted to whom Summer was tethered to. But since Bucky himself would be there and the guest list was one full of mainly older, non-threatening rich folks, she decided to stick with her original plan and keep the tattoo covered. And besides, she wasn't quite ready for Bucky himself to find out about it.

So, after donning a conservative but form-fitting black gown with ivory floral lace detailing along the collarbone and shoulders plus the ends of her long sleeves, Summer put up her hair and put the finishing touches on her makeup. She was going a bit more dramatic with the makeup that night after a trial run with Aemilia the day prior, when she had tested the look out and Aemilia had assured her that she looked stunning and could definitely pull it off. So, that night, she walked into the manor's ballroom with matte burgundy lips and a bronze smoky eye finished off with a heavy winged black liquid liner. It was eye-catching and elegant - or at least that was what Aemilia had said - and it gave Summer a boost of confidence as the gala began and she was forced to start schmoozing with the guests.

Glass of champagne in hand, Summer made the rounds like an old pro as she welcomed and received the guests, clearly much more comfortable in her role as host than she had once been. She was learning how best to deal with people, how to make small talk and keep them happy, and that usually meant always making sure they had a drink in their hands and keeping the conversation light and focused on them and their sparkling successes. If there was one thing rich people always loved to talk about, it was themselves.

Aemilia and Lukas were there as well, along with Natasha and Sam and the other usual suspects, but Bucky was, as always, late. Summer didn't pay that fact much mind, especially not as she found herself knee-deep in conversation with some random high-society couple whose names she couldn't remember.

"And then I told that TSA agent, 'darling, the only security risk in this entire building is that ghastly smell coming from that mouth of yours,'" the woman cackled, her husband laughing along with her. Summer forced a believable laugh as well, inwardly wondering if she might qualify for an Oscar for her performance. "I mean honestly, how can one's breath smell so badly? Did he eat an entire onion for lunch? I could smell it from across the terminal!"

Summer smiled and took a sip of her drink, then replied, "Well, at least they finally let you on with your chihuahuas. How many did you say you have?"

"Eight," the woman gleefully replied. "They're like our children, aren't they, Ronald?"

Her husband, a rather large and not unfriendly older man, gave a sigh and said, "Yes, Betsy, if by children you mean noisy, messy things I unfortunately can't send off to college and be rid of."

Summer laughed at that - not having to force it that time - and then tensed when she suddenly felt an arm slide around her waist. She looked up in alarm and mild panic only to relax when cool blue eyes met her slightly warmer ones, her husband having finally arrived and looking better than any human being should have ever had the right to. He pulled her right against his side like it was completely natural, as if it was something he did all the time, and his eyes lingered on her dark-colored lips before he gave her a grin that was almost genuine before turning to the other couple and asking, "What did I miss?"

"Oh there you are!" Betsy cried, reaching forward to shake his free hand. "And here I was starting to think that you were going to let your better half do all the work."

"Well, she's so much better at it than I am," he replied smoothly, and Summer was at a loss until her brain caught up with her and she remembered that this was standard procedure for them during these sorts of events. They were expected to play the role of a loving, happy couple, and Bucky was damn good at it. He turned his head and looked at her after his remark, and she smiled and felt her face blush quite brightly. She took a drink of champagne just to give herself something to do and distract herself from how good his hand felt on her waist.

The rest of the inane, pointless conversation went by in a hazy flash, and towards the end Summer's eyes wandered across the ballroom and landed on Aemilia, who was currently wrapped up in her own pointless talk with a few of the guests. She noticed how Bucky was holding Summer close and grinned widely, giving Summer a subtle thumbs-up that made Summer smile back in a cringing sort of way. Aemilia looked absolutely adorable, wearing a blush pink off the shoulder gown that clung to her like a dream, the bodice detailed with white lace and showing off both her pregnancy-swollen cleavage and her tiny, round little baby bump. She was 14 weeks along now and had officially reached the _glowing_ stage, and her belly was big enough now to actually look pregnant.

Then, in the midst of briefly drifting off and thinking about babies and other things Summer thought she might never get to have, Bucky steered them away from Betsy and Ronald, his arm still around her. "Sorry I'm late," he muttered, grabbing another flute of champagne from a passing tray and replacing the empty one in her hand.

"It's okay," she said, cheeks still quite flushed. "I, uh... I forgot we're supposed to... um..."

"Look like a real couple," he finished for her. "Yeah. Part of the job."

She nodded, chancing another quick glance up at him. His hair was swept back in a neat bun, showing off his face and flawless bone structure, and there was a perfect thin layer of scruff to accentuate it. Coupled with his classic black tux, she honestly could barely handle it - especially with how close she was to him.

Before she could say something else, they were then accosted by a very enthusiastic French guest named Pierre. He greeted them in a loud mixture of French and English, giving air kisses before telling Summer with a big grin on his face, "Ah, you are even more lovely than the rumors claim."

Having never met this man before, Summer grinned and blushed a little deeper. "Oh my gosh, thank you."

Then Pierre turned to Bucky and said something to him in French with an even bigger grin on his face. Bucky seemed to hesitate before grinning back and replying in flawless French, something that made Summer's eyes widen fractionally and her stomach flip traitorously a few times. Pierre then roared with laughter and switched to English again, thanking them for inviting him before moving on through the crowd.

"Okay... what did he say to you?" Summer asked, unable to stifle her curiosity.

"... Nothing," Bucky said, sipping his own champagne with forced nonchalance.

"That wasn't nothing," Summer pointed out. "Come on, please tell me? It's gonna drive me nuts if you don't."

He sighed through his nose and briefly glanced at her before looking down and muttering, "He asked me if we were enjoying being newlyweds, but in a more vulgar way."

"Oh." She held her breath. "And what did you say?"

"Well, I didn't say that we sleep in different rooms," Bucky replied without looking her in the eye.

"... But what _did_ you say?"

Bucky clenched his jaw and finally looked at her. "Long story short, I basically said you don't ever let me get any sleep. He thought it was hilarious. Happy?"

Summer gulped a little and blinked a few times, having not expected Bucky to make _her_ sound like the aggressor in their imaginary love life. The very suggestion made her brain erupt with sudden flashes of different scenarios, all of them unspeakable and doomed to never be brought to life. Finally she managed to mutter, "Oh."

"Just keeping up appearances," he said, looking away again and taking another drink.

"Right. Yeah. I know."

"Well, well," then came Lukas' voice unexpectedly as he and Aemilia strolled in front of the two of them. "Look at the happy couple. Aren't they just adorable, darling?"

"Oh, indeed," Aemilia grinned. "By far the most beautiful couple here. Excluding us, of course."

Bucky raised an eyebrow, giving them both distinctly unimpressed looks while Summer just smiled and fidgeted on her feet. Bucky pulled his arm away from her at that point, and she was surprised by how much she instantly missed the grounding touch.

"And I must say, Summer," Lukas said with the utmost sincerity, "you look _particularly_ stunning tonight. Doesn't she, James?"

Bucky glared at Lukas, knowing full well that he couldn't get away without giving an answer. Saying nothing would be rude, and he had been trying very hard to not be rude to Summer ever since they'd agreed to their truce. So he swallowed down his irritation and looked at his wife, whom he genuinely found to be the most stunning woman in the room, and as she blushed under his gaze, he said, "Yeah. Beautiful. Like always."

He then gave Lukas a pointed look and left the little group, greeting someone else who noticed him and jumped at the chance to talk to him. Summer stared after him, her insides doing rather funny things as his words and the way that he'd spoken them slowly sunk in.

"I'm just going to say it," Lukas said with a sigh. "Can the two of you just hurry up and jump into bed together so the anticipation can stop killing us?"

Summer's eyes widened. "But -"

"Honestly," Lukas went on, "if this drags on much longer I may just lock you two in an elevator until you finally get it over with."

As Summer's face became the color of a ripe strawberry, Aemilia giggled and chimed in, "Oh, the dance is the best part, darling. Remember how long it took us to finally take that step?"

"Yes, and it was one of the most excruciating experiences of my life," Lukas replied with slightly wide eyes. "You're making my point for me."

"Um," Summer interjected with a nervous laugh, "I don't know what you guys are getting at because me and him are definitely not gonna... you know... ever, so..."

"Yes, yes, of course," Lukas rolled his eyes. "Why on earth would two people who are married and insanely attracted to one another ever sleep together?"

"... He makes a very good point," Aemilia nodded. "Oh! I'll be right back. They're bringing out more hors d'oeuvres and I am starving," she added before stealing a kiss from Lukas and heading off in search of food. Then, after she left, a group of no less than four associates of Pierce Consolidated approached Lukas and Summer, and they spent the next twenty minutes or so enduring the mostly vapid talk that one tended to encounter at such galas.

Aemilia and Natasha ended up with Bucky just across the room, talking to a few board members and their spouses. Sam and Thor were keeping an eye on things like they always did, and Frieda had herself gained the biggest crowd as she was currently caught up in conversation with 12 others. She also had Pietro on her arm, who seemed quite pleased to play the role of arm candy, and few would have blamed him.

All in all, it was shaping up to be a blessedly boring night. Half the guests were tipsy and Summer was on her way, not even having to force most of her giggles as she watched Lukas charm the pants off of literally everyone they spoke to. He was so good at doing that, and he was such a skilled smooth talker that at times he very subtly insulted those that he was speaking to without them even realizing it. She was really starting to understand the whole _silvertongue_ thing.

"Well, I have to say," one of their conversation partners said, a marketing director from another company that Pierce was partnered with, "you seem like a natural at throwing these shindigs, Mrs. Barnes."

"Thank you," Summer smiled, nodding graciously. "There are definitely worse jobs to have."

The man chuckled at that, and one of the hired wait staff walked by with a tray of empty glasses. He glanced at Summer as he walked by, and she noticed that he was mumbling something under his breath. He looked away and kept walking, and she looked down and furrowed her brows. When she looked back up, she scanned the room quickly and saw another server, this time one who was eyeing where Bucky and the ladies were standing, holding his finger briefly to his ear as his mouth moved, though there was nobody around that he appeared to be speaking to.

The problem was, Summer had hired the extra staff for this gala and had been deeply involved in every aspect of planning. She knew that they didn't wear earpieces the way that security and other staff did, because they didn't need to.

She looked back towards the first server and found him looking back at her again. Alarm bells going off in her head, she nudged Lukas' arm. Maybe she was overreacting, but something in her gut was telling her that something was wrong, and she couldn't ignore it.

Just as Lukas looked at her and then followed her gaze to the server, the man dropped the tray he'd been carrying and suddenly pulled a gun out from under his white coat and aimed it squarely at Lukas.

Lukas shouted for everyone in the room to get down and threw Summer to the ground and covered her before she could even begin to comprehend what was happening. A gunshot rang out as they hit the ground and missed them, hitting one of the guests across the room in the hip instead, and Lukas pulled out his own gun from a hidden holster within his suit and shot their assailant dead while Summer still laid under him on the floor.

Then chaos erupted. Most of the guests began screaming and running, and other members of the wait staff emerged with guns out and fired into the crowd, stoking the mayhem. Even a few of the guests pulled out guns and trained them on Bratva members, revealing just how deep this apparent infiltration had run. Summer's party had been doomed from possibly the very beginning, and now she might have to pay the price with her life.

Sam rushed over to her side, firing at one of the attackers and dropping him on his way over. He took over for Lukas, leading Summer to take cover behind a table as he stood guard and Lukas jumped into the fray, though first he called after Aemilia to make sure that she was safe.

Across the room, Bucky had tossed Aemilia behind him after the first shot had rung out, and he and Natasha had formed a wall of protection in front of her, Nat tossing her a gun so that she could play sniper. As the innocent guests fled from the room in a panicked fury, everyone else sprang into action to eliminate the sudden threat, and Summer watched in shock.

Lukas and Bucky were the main targets. Lukas himself had no less than six men converge on him, and while a few of them got a hit or two in, he took them each down with a practiced and brutal ease that was breathtaking. He shot one in the head, disarmed another of their knife and stabbed them in a very specific part of the abdomen, dropping them like dead weight, and two others he knocked unconscious before dodging a spray of bullets from the last two and throwing the knife into the first one's _face_ and then finally bending the second's arm and aiming their own gun at their chest and firing it.

In absolute awe - and terror - Summer then looked over to where Bucky was. He had a man in a headlock, and one jerk of his arms snapped his neck and left him dead at his feet. Natasha took out another with a series of shots to the chest, and Aemilia fell one of her own targets with a shot right between the eyes.

Summer suddenly wanted to vomit. Having never seen someone die with her own two eyes before, seeing it happen ten times in a row in rapid fire was more than she had the capacity to handle.

"Summer!" Sam shouted directly in her face, quickly getting her attention. She snapped her head up and he handed her a gun, saying, "Take this and only use it if you absolutely have -"

He words were cut off when a bullet whizzed through his right shoulder, just above his chest. He grunted with pain and then turned back around only to have the butt of a gun smashed into his head, knocking him out. Then his attacker set his sights on Summer, gun still smoking and eyes horrible and cold and soulless, and the gun in her hands felt like it weighed a thousand pounds as she shook and tried to raise it in time.

But she didn't have to. Before he could even touch her, Lukas was behind him and had his hands on either side of his head. One swift, sickening crack later, he was dead, and Lukas and Summer were staring at each other.

"You all right?" Lukas asked, but Summer didn't hear him. Behind him someone was coming, a Chinese man with a long, deadly blade raised in his hand and aimed for Lukas' back, and the horrified look on Summer's face gave it away. Lukas spun around, and Summer didn't hesitate to act, knowing that Lukas was about to be stabbed in the chest before her very eyes. The world stopped spinning for a moment, her nausea went away, and everything else ceased to exist as she raised the gun and pulled the trigger.

The bullet raced past Lukas' ear and hit the man at the center of his face. The blade in his hand clattered to the ground and warm blood sprayed over Lukas' face and throat, and Summer watched in a blank-eyed state of numb as she killed a man for the first time in her life.

The entire ballroom fell dead silent. The remaining Triad men stared in shock and horror at the dead man laying faceless on the ground in a pool of blood before turning and retreating as quickly as they could. Natasha and Thor went after them, and Lukas turned around to stare at Summer in shock.

She felt nothing. Her ears were ringing, her hands bizarrely steady even though she'd been shaking like a leaf just a moment before, and she only snapped out of her trance when Bucky's face filled her line of vision.

He gently pried the gun out of her hands and handed it off to Lukas. Then he took her hand in his and started walking her away from the scene without a word, and she was barely aware of any of it until she started feeling her own body again.

He took her to his room, and she was about to ask why he was leading her to the bathroom when she opened her mouth and suddenly realized why. The next thing she knew, she was throwing up violently into the toilet that he had helpfully set her in front of.

She'd never felt so sick in her life. The numb wore off and shame and terror and shock took its place, her limbs starting to shake again as she realized that she had actually just killed a man. _She had_ _killed a man_.

She hurled until she could hurl no longer, slumping down on the floor as tears streamed down her face and she tried to catch her breath to no avail. She looked up when a small cup of water was handed to her, and she looked up at Bucky in surprise. His expression was determined but not hard, possibly softer than she'd ever seen before, but he said nothing as she took the cup and sipped it. Then he turned away and took a few steps to their left, reaching under his sink and producing a new toothbrush. He set it down on the sink and then turned back to her, asking quietly, "Can you stand?"

She nodded even though she really had no idea. He reached out and took her hand and helped her to her feet, and when she nearly tripped over her heels, she kicked them off and opted for bare feet instead.

"... I'll give you a minute," he said quietly, turning and leaving her in the bathroom alone, though he kept the door open. She then turned and looked in the mirror above the sink, and what she found looking back at her made her nearly gasp.

The vomit-induced tears had, of course, ruined her makeup, making her look like a KISS reject. Her skin was ghostly pale, body visibly trembling, and she dropped the toothbrush three times before she managed to successfully get it in her mouth.

After brushing her teeth, she washed her face to get the ruined makeup off of her face. She had to use handsoap, since Bucky obviously didn't have any makeup remover handy, but she didn't care. She barely cared enough to wash it off in the first place.

Then, after her legs threatened to give out again, she decided that enough was enough and exited the bathroom. She was surprised to then find herself standing in the middle of Bucky's bedroom, and even more surprised when he gestured for her to take a seat next to him on the edge of his bed.

Her body nearly whined with relief once she was sitting again. She felt lightheaded and sick and confused, and the first words out of her mouth were, "I killed someone."

His eyes were intent upon her unfocused, elsewhere-staring ones as he replied, "You saved Lukas' life."

She nodded, stomach lurching again, looking down at her shaking hands. "But I killed someone."

"Yes," he replied quietly. "You did."

She closed her eyes as her gag reflex threatened to strike again. Then her face started to crumple as she half-sobbed, " _Oh my God._ "

It was too much. Not only had she caused a death but she had just _witnessed_ so much death. She'd watched an angry rival mob ambush her own gala and try to kill her friends and her husband, try to kill _her_ , and how was she supposed to process that? How was she supposed to _live_ like this, when everything always seemed to go so spectacularly wrong and danger lurked everywhere she turned, even in the manor itself?

Letting go and remembering Bruce's advice on not always being strong, she fell apart. She was so lost and so terrified still that she barely even realized that there were arms wrapped around her until she noticed that she was staining a very expensive white silk shirt with her tears.

He'd taken off his jacket and put it around her before pulling her into a hug that she desperately needed. She was sobbing like a little baby who'd just woken from a nightmare and she couldn't stop, and he thankfully didn't seem to mind. She used him as a giant handkerchief crossed with a teddy bear, and he let her cry herself into exhaustion without complaint.

Once the tears finally stopped, she was clinging to him still and her face was pressed to his chest through his shirt. His hand was moving up and down her back comfortingly - more so than she thought he was even capable of - and when he started speaking, it took her even more by surprise than their current position.

"I was 18 when I killed someone for the first time," he said, his voice a low rumble in her ear. "It was part of the initiation. We all had to do it. They brought in this... man, one of the Triad's guys. Tied up and beaten and defenseless. I had to kill him to prove myself."

She listened intently, eyes widening in slight horror. Then he went on, "Afterwards everybody shook my hand, welcomed me into the fold, acted like I'd just done this... noble thing. Then the minute I got back to my room, I barely made it to the bathroom before I started throwing up."

She couldn't imagine it. She couldn't imagine what in the world could possibly lead him to choose such a life at the age of 18, but she hoped to find out someday.

"It... it takes a piece of you and you never get it back," he added. "S'not... natural, not right. Sometimes it's necessary for people like us. But there's nothing... glamorous or _good_ about it. Not like in the movies. It's always worse."

Then he lifted up her head to look her in the eye, hand cradling the side of her face as he told her with the utmost sincerity, "But you did what needed to be done. You saved the life of one of my best friends. And you didn't even blink. You're stronger than you think."

Tears filling her eyes, she shook her head. "No I'm not. I'm _not_."

"Yes you are," he told her, the tone of his voice taking her by surprise as much as his thumb did when it started gently stroking her cheek. "I've known that for a long time now."

She searched his eyes for a sign, any sign, of dishonesty, but all she saw was genuine care in his usually-cold eyes. Maybe it was the trauma of it all or the adrenaline, or maybe the way that he was holding her and touching her, but it was like a dam burst from within at that moment. Her chest flooded with warmth instead of the ice that had been there before, and her emotions ran wild.

This man, this terrifying killer of a man, was always the first one there for her when something went wrong. First he had protected her from Rumlow and let her decide her attacker's fate, and then tonight, he had left the ballroom behind without a second glance to take her to safety and to care for her following her very own first kill. She had once been so deathly afraid of him and of what he might do to her, but all of that was long gone now. _Now_ she was starting to see him for who he really was, slowly but surely, and while he was every bit as dangerous and dark as his reputation betrayed, there was much more to him underneath that blood-stained surface.

It had taken that night's horrible events for her to realize it, but she... she _felt_ something for him far beyond what she had previously thought. It wasn't just a little crush anymore, especially not after all of this. And being there in his arms with his eyes locked with hers and face so unexpectedly close to her own, she craved as much contact and comfort as she could possibly get. She suddenly felt like she needed it to _breathe_ , and when his eyes flickered briefly to her lips, she leaned in closer and felt her heart thump wildly in her chest when he began to do the same.

She closed her eyes when she felt his breath on her lips. Her skin was warming rapidly, the lingering nausea in her gut dissipating, but the kiss that she wanted and needed so badly never came.

He drew away at the last minute, pulling her into another hug instead. Her eyes opened as she laid her head on his shoulder again, and her excitement faded into disappointment and stinging rejection. Embarrassed tears sprang behind her eyes, but before she could apologize for the apparently unwanted advance and before he could explain it, there was a knock at the door.

It opened to reveal Thor, who looked quite surprised at the sight of Bucky cradling Summer in his arms the way that he was. But he quickly shook it off and said, "We lost the others."

Bucky grimaced but nodded. "How's Sam?

 _Oh God, Sam_. He'd taken a bullet for Summer.

"Bullet went clean through, so that's good. He's awake now. They're stitching him up and checking for signs of concussion."

Bucky nodded. "Okay. I'll be back down in a minute."

Thor nodded, glancing at Summer sympathetically before closing the door. Summer then drew a deep breath and straightened up, pulling away a little bit and saying, "We should go. They probably need you."

"You sure?" he asked quietly, looking her over carefully.

She nodded. "Yeah. Thank you for, uh... thank you for doing this. For taking care of me. You didn't have to."

"Yes I did," he murmured back before standing up and taking her hand. He helped her get to her feet, and then he led them out of their room and back downstairs, still hand in hand the entire way.

Once they made it back to the ballroom, they found a makeshift triage where the party had previously been. Medics were checking out everyone who'd been hurt, including a handful of otherwise ignorant guests who would probably be bribed in exchange for their silence. Steve was there instead of local police along with Clint and a few other SHIELD agents, having claimed jurisdiction in the matter and provided a blanket of safety to the Bratva while also getting an exclusive first look at what had occurred and what evidence had been left behind.

Bucky was still holding Summer's hand as she searched out a few particular faces, but their connection broke when suddenly out of nowhere Aemilia had flung herself into Summer's arms and enveloped her in a massive hug.

Bucky stepped aside and gave the girls a moment, making a beeline for Steve as Aemilia barely held back tears and gushed, "My God, Summer, thank you _so much_ for what you did."

It was such a bizarre combination of emotions that Summer felt, a lingering sense of horror and revulsion mixed with relief that Lukas was okay and that Aemilia wouldn't have to one day raise their child alone. Summer kept a sudden rush of tears at bay as Aemilia pulled away and looked up at her with watery, grateful eyes. "I'm so sorry that you had to do that - are you okay? You left so fast, I wanted to check on you but -"

"I'm fine," Summer lied, not wanting to add to Aemilia's distress. "Are _you_ okay?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," Aemilia nodded. "Nobody even touched me."

"Good," Summer sighed with relief. "Where's Lukas?"

Aemilia shifted to the side and gestured to where a few medics stood. Lukas was sitting on a chair, looking down at his hands as one of the medics examined his ear. His face was thankfully clean of the blood that had covered it when Summer had pulled the trigger on their assailant.

"They think his ear drum ruptured," Aemilia explained, "but other than that he's okay."

"What about Sam? Where's he?"

"Right here," came Sam's tired voice as he was wheeled past them on a stretcher. The medics pushing the stretcher allowed a brief halt as Summer turned to him and felt another bubble of tears well up behind her eyes. He shot her a grin, but she wasn't smiling.

"Oh my God, Sam - are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he said with as much of a shrug as he could manage with his injured, bandaged shoulder. "These guys are just insisting I get a CT scan to make sure."

"Oh God," Summer muttered, reaching down and taking his hand. "Thank you so much for what you did for me back there."

"It's my job," he told her, giving her hand a little squeeze. "Don't worry about it. And I heard I missed you going all Rambo on someone's ass."

Summer cringed and Aemilia chimed in, "She saved Lukas' life."

"Damn, girl," Sam grinned. "You're really living up to the whole badass mob wife thing."

Cringing again, Summer said, "Well, I wouldn't have been able to do it if you hadn't given me that gun."

Sam nodded. "Looks like you should probably look into getting one of your own and keeping it on you."

Knowing that was probably very true, Summer sighed and then bade farewell to her bodyguard as the medics insisted on not waiting to leave any longer. She watched him go and then turned her attention back to where Lukas sat, and Aemilia gave her one last hug before she headed over to talk to him.

He looked up when she approached, and the medics gave them a moment as Summer sat next to him and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Well, I can barely hear anything out of this blasted ear," Lukas said, gesturing to the war in question. "But I'm alive, which I owe to you."

She flushed and looked down, shaking her head. "I just... I still can't believe what happened. Any of it."

"I can, unfortunately," Lukas replied. "Occupational hazard. Though we've never had something like this happen in the manor itself."

"I hired all the staff," Summer said. "I did background checks on _everybody_. Security checked everyone before they even came in. _Everyone_."

"I would assume that the men who were here tonight were not the ones you hired," Lukas sighed. "Our enemies are very sophisticated and _very_ good at infiltration. Though not _this_ good, I suspect."

"What's that mean?" Summer asked, brows a little furrowed.

Lukas sighed and shook his head. "I don't know. There's just a lot to consider following an attack this... bold."

Summer nodded, certainly agreeing with that. They were silent for a few moments, and then she glanced up at him and said, "By the way, I had no idea you were such a badass."

Lukas grinned and gave a small shrug. "I've been training for as long as your husband has, you know. I just rarely get the chance to show it."

"Well, it was amazing," Summer grinned back. "And you made it look easy."

"Well, it isn't," Lukas replied. "But what you did is no easier."

She took a deep breath and shakily let it out, fingers fidgeting nervously as the vague urge to be sick again reappeared. "Yeah... still kind of... freaking out about that."

" _Are_ you all right?" he asked with quiet concern.

"I'm as... okay as I can be," Summer replied. "I threw up a lot and cried like a baby on Bucky's shoulder and now I'm just kind of... I'm not sure."

"It'll pass," he assured her. "Everything does with time. Believe me."

She nodded, and when he held out an arm for a hug, she happily accepted the invitation. As he hugged her and thanked her again for saving his life, three people who had been absent from the manor during the gala were finally let in following the manor's immediate lockdown.

Scott, Lizzie and Tony walked into the ballroom and were immediately dumbfounded by what they found. "Holy shit," Tony said with wide eyes. "The hell happened here?"

Just as Summer pulled away from Lukas, Lizzie rushed over to her with Scott in tow and started promptly freaking out once Summer turned and Lizzie saw the hollow look in her eyes. "Oh my God, what happened?!"

"Are you okay?" Scott asked, looking her over as well with equal but less hysterical concern. He'd been out having a fun night at the movies with his little girl and had not expected to come home to _this_.

Summer sighed, really not wanting to go through the story again, and luckily Lukas could tell and spared her that burden.

"There was an attack tonight," Lukas explained. "The Triad infiltrated the wait staff and the guest list and opened fire in the middle of the gala. We took them out and didn't lose any of our own, but I wouldn't be sitting here to speak of it had Summer not shot and killed a man who was inches from putting a knife in my chest."

Lizzie gasped. "You _shot_ someone?"

Summer nodded. "It was very sudden and it just... happened."

"Holy shit," Scott said, his own eyes wide and a little horrified on her behalf.

"Oh my God," Lizzie said, pulling Summer into a hug and squeezing her. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here."

"No, it's okay," Summer assured her. "I'm glad you weren't. Bullets were flying everywhere. It was insane."

Scott then stepped closer to Lukas and asked, "She _really_ shot someone?"

Lukas nodded. "In the face."

Scott's eyes became comically wide. " _In the face_? That's... _badass_." Lukas couldn't help but nod in agreement.

Meanwhile, Lizzie was bemoaning the suddenness of it all. "The day I decide to let Tony take me out on a date and all hell breaks loose," she sighed as she pulled away from Summer. "And _here_?! How did it happen?"

"I plan on finding out," Tony said, strolling back over to them after having had a word with the boss. He looked at Summer and asked, "You okay, kid?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Could be a lot worse."

He nodded. "Well, sit tight. I'm gonna do some digging and see what I can find. This was as good as a formal declaration of war."

Before anyone could reply, Frieda came around next and was the next person to shower Summer with hugs and gratitude, in her case for saving her beloved son. All of the hugs and the positive words were nice but they ultimately mainly just confused Summer more, because she wanted to relate to them and feel good about it all but she couldn't quite get past that initial gut feeling of abject horror at actually pulling a trigger on someone - even someone who was about to kill a friend of hers.

As her conflicted emotions swirled within her heart and mind and left her feeling less and less peaceful, Bucky kept a watchful eye on her from afar. He oversaw the manor's lockdown and the gave the orders that needed to be given, made sure that the proper steps were taken to begin the necessary investigations following such a breach and found himself more convinced than ever that someone was feeding the other side sensitive information. But he didn't forget about his wife, even as the night wound down and she began insisting that she was fine and didn't need anyone to stay the night with her.

She sent a skeptical Lizzie off to bed, swearing that she was okay and would be just fine on her own. But Bucky knew what she was feeling and could see the shadows in her eyes and the tension in her shoulders, the unsure way that she was walking and talking. He knew because he'd been there before.

Once Steve and his men and the medics had gone and the building was secure and most everyone had gone off to their own rooms to recover from the horrible night, Bucky caught Summer on her own way to bed. He stopped her at the base of the staircase and asked, "You sure you're okay to be on your own?"

She hesitated and smiled uneasily, surprised by his concern. "I... well, no, but... Sam's at the hospital and my mom, she's... I wouldn't get any sleep with her hovering and freaking out anyway, so... I'm fine. I'll be fine."

Bucky simply stared at her, not buying it for a moment. An idea occurred to him to ask her if she wanted to spend the night in his room so that she wasn't alone, but just as he was about to offer it, he wondered if that would be crossing a line or if it would only make her even more uncomfortable. Despite the comfort he'd given her earlier, they still weren't exactly close and the very idea of her spending the night in his room was a huge shift from their usual dynamic.

Just as he was about to forget the idea entirely and wish her goodnight, something in her expression broke and she blurted out, "Actually, do you think that maybe I could... stay with you?"

He nearly doubled over in shock upon hearing his own idea leave her lips.

"I just... I don't want to be alone, but I don't want to worry my mom and I don't... I don't have anyone else."

He nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, you can stay in my room. I have to go and take care of a few more things, but you can go on." He paused, blinked, and added, "You can have the bed. I'll sleep on the floor."

"Oh God, _no_ ," she immediately protested. "That's - no. I can't make you do that."

"It's okay," he lied. It wouldn't be okay. It would be hell on his back and other parts of his body that hurt enough on a regular basis anyway, plus his shoulder still hurt from being shot five days ago. She didn't know about that, though.

"No," she shook her head rather adamantly. "I mean, we _are_ married, so it's not like... yeah."

She blushed a little after saying that, and Bucky let out a sigh before giving in. "Fine, just... go on without me. I'll be there soon."

"Okay," she replied quietly before starting back up the stairs. Bucky watched her for a moment and then turned away, absently wondering why his insides suddenly felt so strange and mildly jumpy.

About twenty minutes later, Bucky found himself just outside of his room, exhausted and bizarrely nervous to walk inside and find what awaited him. After a few seconds spent mentally chastising himself for being a moron, he twisted the doorknob and stepped inside. In his bedroom, on the left side of his bed, he found his wife dressed in pajamas and curled up with an extra blanket and a steaming mug of what looked like Aemilia's signature hot chocolate in her hands. Her hair was down and every trace of makeup was gone from her face, and she immediately looked up upon his arrival and muttered, "I, uh... Aemilia made me this. I hope you don't mind me drinking it in your bed. I know some people are picky about stuff like that but... yeah."

"... S'okay," he assured her, tossing his phone down on the nearest surface and heading for the bathroom to start his usual nightly routine, which he could follow like a mindless zombie at this point. He brushed his teeth and took his hair down, then started unbuttoning his shirt before he realized that Summer's presence meant a distinct change in his usual sleeping habits was necessary. He hadn't worn a stitch of clothing to bed in years, but if he walked out of the bathroom naked and slid in bed next to her like that, she would probably have a heart attack and require immediate medical assistance. He debated compromising and at least sleeping shirtless, but that would probably freak her out too. She tended to look at his tattoos like they were lollipops she desperately wanted to lick whenever she caught a glimpse of them.

 _Well then_. He left the bathroom and headed to his walk-in closet, threw on a t-shirt and sweatpants that he usually only wore to workout in, and then he finally made his way to bed. And she still stared at him nervously the whole time.

Once he was settled in on the right side of the bed - as far on the edge as he could comfortably manage - he sat back against the headboard and cautiously glanced over to Summer. She quickly looked away and stared down at her drink like it was the most intriguing thing on earth, and he sighed.

"I can still take the floor if you want."

"No!" she immediately squeaked. "I mean... no. Please don't do that. I'd feel bad and I already feel bad enough."

"... You have nothing to feel bad about," he told her gently.

She smiled a little sadly, still staring into her cup as she muttered, "But I do." Then she looked up at him and asked, "Does it ever stop?"

He paused. That was a complicated question if there ever was one. "Yes and no," he replied. "You killed in self-defense. It was justified. More than justified. You'll come to terms with that. But like I said... it still changes you."

She nodded, looking away again. "I feel like I've been doing that a lot lately. Changing, and... I don't know. Feel like I'm gonna wake up one day and not know who I am anymore."

Those words struck a nerve within Bucky. He'd done exactly that before, more than once. He didn't wish that kind of inner confusion and turmoil on anyone, let alone her.

"I'm sorry," she said, setting the drink aside and scrubbing her hands over her face. "I keep thinking I'm done crying but it just keeps coming and I feel so _stupid_..."

Bucky let out a breath and reached out for her, pulling her into his arms the way that he had earlier. Her neediness didn't annoy him or bother him, to his own surprise. Instead, he felt like comforting her was the least that he could do, considering everything she'd been through since she first visited the manor was ultimately because she was married to him.

She curled up to his side and laid her head on his chest, muttering apologies as she stained another shirt of his with her tears. He murmured back that it was okay and let her cry it out all over again, this time running his fingers through her hair as an extra comfort. He didn't even realize he was doing it until she leaned into the touch and seemed to calm down a little the more that he did it.

Her hair smelled good. The subtle floral scent of it kept wafting up to his nose, scrambling his brain a bit and taking him by surprise. He remembered how her skin had felt earlier when he'd cradled her face and stroked her cheeks, remembered how it had felt to touch skin that soft for the first time in ages, and he had to close his eyes and take a breath to will those memories away.

Then he thought back to the gala, of the chaos and how she had stood up in the middle of it and killed the team's apparent leader with one shot to the face. She'd looked so strong, unblinking and unyielding, as if it was something that came naturally to her. It didn't, of course, but to anyone who didn't know her, she looked like a fierce and powerful woman who would do anything to protect her people. She _looked_ like his other half, like she'd been made for him.

"Thank you again," she sniffed, not looking up at him as she spoke. "For everything you've done for me tonight. And letting me stay here."

He didn't know how to answer. He stared up at the ceiling and searched for words besides a generic _you're welcome_ that he could say back, but his brain came up empty. As his struggle continued to no avail, he continued to stroke her hair and she slowly drifted off to sleep. He could tell when her breathing evened out and her sniffling stopped.

He closed his eyes and let out a sigh of relief, then wondered what to do next. He didn't want to move her and wake her, so in the end he decided to keep her as she was while he slipped them under the covers and laid his head on his pillow. She shifted a little but didn't move, keeping her head on his chest and her hand just in front of her face, body curled comfortably against his.

He hadn't slept with another woman in... a _very_ long time. Natasha never used to stick around to cuddle, let alone sleep with him, at least not unless she'd fallen into a sex coma before she could go back to her own room. He hadn't held a woman close like this, just for the sake of care and comfort, sex not even a factor, since...

Pushing that thought away before it could go down a road he was sick of constantly traveling, he closed his eyes and, in time, drifted off to sleep himself with his wife nestled safely in his arms. Her warmth was a comfort of its own, and he hadn't realized how much he'd missed that until those quiet, hazy few moments before he fell into a remarkably peaceful sleep.

One of his last clear thoughts was if this strange, unexpected night together would be a sort of turning point in his and Summer's equally strange and unexpected relationship. He supposed that he would find out in the morning. Most surprisingly though, he _hoped_ that it would be.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: hey everyone! :D it's that time of the week again, and I'm super excited to get to share this chapter with you guys :) It's been a big week for those of us in the U.S. and also for you lovely readers across the world, and I am more than happy to provide a distraction for all of that :) no politics here, guys, just 100% pure angus beef Bratva Bucky, and a lot of him. LOL. Let's face it, that's what we all truly need in our lives. Or at least I do. I definitely do. A lot. Which is fairly obvious, but... I digress lol**

 **As always, thank you guys from the bottom of my heart for reading and reviewing this story and making my whole week with your feedback. I am so incredibly grateful for it and I hope you all continue to enjoy the story as we keep moving along :) my eternal thanks and love to midnightwings96 for always having my back and providing utterly priceless help every step of the way, and I don't think I've ever mentioned this but she is my "stylist" for basically everything I've written on here. All the dresses and details and the stuff you see the characters wearing here and in LAD and everything else? If it's more than just like pajamas or jeans and t-shirts, it's ALL her. Oh and the makeup too! I just have no real touch for that side of things and I tend to just gloss over wardrobe and such in my head, but she's always there to give me much needed visual inspiration and have the characters looking their best :) I don't know why I never mentioned that until now and I feel quite bad about it but ANYWAY, she is amazing and I owe her SO MUCH.**

 **I shall shut my mouth now lol. Love you all and I'll see you guys soon! :D**

When Summer slowly awoke early the next morning, barely after the sun had fully risen in the sky, the first thing that she fully registered was the glorious warmth surrounding her. Her eyes still closed, she took a deep breath and shifted her head on her pillow only to realize once it started breathing that it was no pillow at all.

Her eyes opened and with no small amount of shock, everything from the day before came rushing back to her. And she realized that she and Bucky had stayed close all night long, as evidenced by the way that she was still draped over him and the fact that his arm was holding her close, his hand softly gripping her hip.

 _Holy crap_. She'd shot and killed someone the day before and then spent a good portion of the following hours crying on Bucky's shoulder and snuggling to him while they slept. In his bed.

 _Holy. Crap_.

Slowly so as to not wake him, she peered up at her snoozing husband and was struck by what she saw. He was still in a deep sleep, lips parted a little and completely relaxed. There wasn't a trace of tension on his features, nothing of the stress and darkness that he carried on his shoulders. He looked peaceful and even _young_ , and she could hardly tear her eyes away from him.

She hadn't known until the day before that he could be so comforting and so tender, especially to her. The way that he'd held her and spoke to her, how he'd ran his fingers through her hair and helped quiet the unwanted noise in her head... it took her by such blessed surprise. And the fact that he'd done it for her... and that he'd spent all night like this, sleeping peacefully and holding her close... she wasn't sure that she'd ever felt warmer or safer in her life. And following all the coldness and fear of the day before, that was a truly incredible thing.

She wasn't ready for it to be over just yet. Her eyes still heavy with desire for sleep, she curled back up to Bucky and laid her head on his chest, listening to the rhythmic beating of his heart as she closed her eyes and soaked it all in. Her slight shifting didn't wake him, but he stirred slightly and turned his head so that his chin grazed the top of her head and his hand on her hip moved up to her waist. His thumb laid on a tiny strip of bare skin exposed by her shirt that had ridden up slightly, and Summer could hardly stand it. Once upon a time, back when she had first found herself suddenly engaged to him, she never would have thought that she would have ever been this close to him, let alone enjoy it so much and draw such comfort from him.

Before she could even begin process any of it, she was asleep again. They both slept for nearly two more hours, until Bucky awoke next at a far more reasonable hour than Summer had.

His eyes opening and sluggish brain reluctantly coming back to life, the first thing that he noticed was the weight on his chest and the numbness in his right arm. He blinked once and then looked down, hardly able to believe what he was seeing.

... They'd slept like that _all night_? It was surprising enough that it had happened at all, that Summer had asked to stay the night with him in the first place, but this was surprising on a whole other level. He'd half expected to wake up in the morning and find her gone, waking up before him and fleeing in a fit of anxiety, and yet here she was, sleeping soundly and sharing her warmth with him in a way that made him never want to leave the bed. Well, except for the dead arm. _That_ didn't feel good, but he could live with it.

His hand was on her waist and his thumb was resting on bare, soft skin, just a sliver between her shirt and the waist of her pants. The scent of her hair and of _her_ was surrounding him, the peaceful look on her face and the way that her lashes looked against her skin making him feel a little dizzy. Or maybe that was because of how her entire body was pressed against his and encouraging the involuntary morning _event_ that was taking place under the covers.

 _Fuck_. He was essentially trapped, and any attempt to get out from under her would likely result in her jolting awake and probably babbling up a storm and he really didn't want to deal with that in his current state. Then again, he didn't have a lot of choice.

But in the end, his fretting was a moot point. She began stirring while he was still trying to figure out how to disentangle himself from her, and within just another moment or two, her eyes were open and she was cautiously sneaking a peak up at him.

"... Hi," she said sleepily and nervously.

"Hey," he muttered back, hoping she didn't make any unexpected leg movements that would give away his current predicament.

They laid there unmoving and unsure for a moment until Summer seemed to catch herself and say, "Oh God, your arm is probably dead." She then quickly sat up and pulled away from him, and he tried not to give away how unexpectedly disappointing her sudden absence was.

"It's okay," he told her, flexing his stiff and numb arm as he sat up as well, keeping the blanket over his lap.

She rubbed at her eyes and took a deep breath, tucking her hair behind her ear nervously and giving him a small smile. "Thank you. For uh... for letting me stay here last night. Sorry for using you like a pillow."

"It's all right," he shrugged. "I didn't mind."

Her smile widened in slight surprise. Her eyes then flickered over his hair, sleep-mussed and undoubtedly a mess, and then she blushed and looked away. He decided to make his getaway while he still could.

"I'm gonna go take a shower," he said, carefully standing up. He then all but dashed to the bathroom, and Summer watched him go as she bit her lip to keep from smiling.

As soon as the bathroom door was shut, Summer let out a deep breath and collapsed back down on the bed, breathing in the scent that he'd left behind. His bed was incredible - memory foam, she was pretty sure, and clearly of the very best quality - and his sheets smelled like him. Clean, masculine, and a hint of... maybe it was honey? It was something soft and subtle, and she suspected that it was probably from whatever product he put in his hair on a semi-regular basis. Now that she wasn't quite as traumatized, she _could_ remember seeing all the loads of hair products in his bathroom the day before. The thought made her smile to herself even more.

She heard the shower come on in the bathroom, and she tried _not_ to imagine him naked and wet with water cascading down his hair and muscles. She tried, but she was weak.

If they were a _normal_ married couple, she could have just gotten up out of bed and ditched her clothes on the floor and snuck up on him in the shower. She could picture it so vividly, slipping behind him and pressing a kiss to the back of his shoulder, maybe just under the tattoo of his codename between his shoulder blades, and then he'd turn around and pull her under the water and grin before kissing her and...

 _...Yeah_ , she needed to stop. She was still laying in his bed and she doubted that he would spend particularly long in the shower, so she sat up and shook the thoughts away. No use in getting all worked up over things that would probably never happen, despite the progress they'd made the night before. She wasn't gonna get her hopes up, and in fact, she was going to keep pretending to having no hopes at all in the matter.

Besides, once she thought back to the event that had led to their night spent snuggling together, that was more than enough to squash any pleasant or excited feelings she had. The wind already leaving her sails before she'd even had coffee, her stomach turned and she got out of bed with a sigh. It was gonna be a long day, of that she had no doubt.

She got up and wandered over to the big floor-to-ceiling windows that led to a balcony outside of Bucky's room. She pulled the curtains open and let the sunshine in, squinting a little at the brightness and looking at the view from where she was standing. The grounds were so green, so perfectly clean and manicured, and she found it ironic that such an aesthetically flawless home was home to such violence and bloody experiences. Ironic, but maybe not so surprising.

After she left the windows, her attention was drawn by something else far more intriguing. As the water in the bathroom was shut off, she noticed for the first time that the top of Bucky's dresser was lined with a number of framed photos. She _had_ to go and take a look.

There was a surprising amount of photos sitting there, and she had to wonder how she was just now noticing them. The first one she saw was one that she knew had to be Bucky and Steve as little kids, no older than five, smiling on a playground together. That was the only one of him as a child. The next youngest one was of him and Steve again, this time at Steve's graduation - high school, judging by the youth of their faces and the faint trace of baby fat in Bucky's cheeks - with an older blonde lady hugging them both to her sides. And Steve really _had_ been tiny back then.

She marveled at how much younger Bucky looked there, at how much of a baby he had once been. But even there, in that picture, his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. There was a heaviness to him even then, and Summer suddenly remembered what he'd said the day before.

 _I was 18 when I killed someone for the first time_. Did that mean that even then in that particular picture, when he was so young and looked barely old enough to legally drive, that he had already committed his first act of murder? It was a horrifying thought, and once again she was struck by the thought of what the _hell_ must have happened to him to make his life take such a dark turn so early. Had his parents been in the mob? Had he simply been raised that way? But Alexander Pierce was his adopted father, so that didn't make sense. Maybe -

"Told you Steve used to be tiny."

She jumped out of her skin and gave a small shriek, hand going to her chest as she turned to find Bucky standing right next to her - in only a towel thrown loosely around his hips. Great.

"Oh my God," she groaned, closing her eyes and leaning a hand on the dresser. "You scared the crap out of me. Seriously, are you an actual ninja?"

He didn't answer, eyes on the same picture that hers had been fixed on before his silent footsteps had nearly caused her a heart attack. She followed his gaze there and then asked cautiously, "Who's that lady? His mom?"

"Yeah," he replied quietly. "Her name was Sarah." He then reached for another photo, one that Summer hadn't seen yet. He set it down where she could see it, and her mouth fell open before she started smiling widely.

"Is that... you and Thor and Lukas as little kids?"

He nodded. "I was 8."

They all looked so adorable that she could hardly take it. Thor was the oldest and biggest with a head of shaggy blonde hair, and he had his arms thrown around both his brother and their little friend. Lukas had a mischievous little smile on his cute, pale face, and Bucky was smiling too, though it was more reserved than the other two kids.

" _Wow_ ," she marveled. "You guys were basically babies." Then she let her eyes drift to the other pictures, and she grinned as she pointed to one, "Let me guess, college shenanigans?"

Glancing at the picture of himself, Thor, Lukas and Steve, Bucky nodded and said, "That was the weekend you heard about at dinner awhile ago."

" _Oh_ \- with the football player?"

Bucky barely stifled a chuckle, only just keeping it inside. "Yeah. The one with the football player."

She grinned and then turned her attention to the last pair of photos. "Oh! That must be Lukas and Aemilia's wedding."

"Mhm," Bucky confirmed. "I was co-best man with Thor. Basically I took care of everything he didn't want to. Wasn't a lot, but..."

Bucky was flanked by the bride and groom in the picture, managing to crack a genuine smile as Aemilia hugged him and Lukas planted a kiss on his cheek. Thor was there too, and Steve mildly photobombing from a corner, and Summer couldn't help but sigh. They all really were a family, in every way that truly counted.

The last photo was from a different event. It was of Bucky and Natasha, her arm thrown around him as she snapped what was clearly a selfie, grinning happily while he gave his own typical slightly forced smile to her camera. It was a little different than the others, though. Darker, maybe, or perhaps she was just imagining that. He looked the most like his current self in that picture, though the gray at his temples was a little more substantial now.

"Where was that?" she asked curiously.

"... Party for when they named me Captain," Bucky replied quietly. "She got this made and put it here herself. I didn't even notice it for a month."

"Oh." She studied the picture a little more and then noted, "You and her seem super close."

His own eyes still on the photo, he shrugged slightly. She then let her eyes drift from the photos to the man himself, and more specifically, those damn tattoos of his.

He noticed her looking and watched her silently. This was the first time she'd been able to see him shirtless while she was sober, and everything was much clearer than it was in her fuzzy memory. She could in particular see his scars much better, and there were a _lot_ of them. There were the ones _all over_ his left arm and then ones on his sides, his abdomen, his right shoulder. Actually, the one on his right shoulder looked a lot fresher than the others. In fact, it looked like a fairly recent gunshot wound.

Then she glanced up and realized that she was staring quite openly, and that he had been watching her the entire time. Her face went up in flames and she stuttered, "I'm sorry, I was just... um... I was..." She trailed off and gave him another shy glance, and if she wasn't mistaken, he looked rather amused with her. "So," she finally said, smiling rather silly. "You like tattoos."

"And so do you," he pointed out, dangerously close to grinning himself. He wasn't, but the corner of his mouth _almost_ twitched a little bit. "Obviously."

She blushed even more. "Sorry. I just... they're kind of... fascinating."

He watched then as her gaze travelled to the tattoo on his left arm, the largest and most intricate one that he had. She found it beautiful in a brutal sort of way - sort of like Bucky himself - designed to look like his scarred skin was tearing away to reveal gleaming metal underneath, as if beneath his skin he was made of something unbreakable. It fit him so well, it truly did, and Summer couldn't help but ask, "Is there a story behind that one? The one on your arm?"

His previously amused, lighter expression fell back into more familiar, dark territory. He looked down and took a moment before murmuring, "I don't wanna talk about it."

"Oh." Now her face was flushed with embarrassment. "Okay. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... overstep, or..."

"You didn't," he assured her, his tone gentle enough to take the edge off of her embarrassment. "I just... think that's enough questions for now."

She nodded. "Yeah. Okay. I'm sorry." She paused. "I already said that. Sorry." She cringed. "I think I just apologized for apologizing, _oh my God_ , I can't stop..."

Then something amazing happened. He actually cracked a smile for her. It was tiny but it was there, and it made Summer feel a sudden rush of warmth that she hadn't expected.

... He liked her rambling. He very possibly even found it cute. He maybe even found _her_ c-

The door then opened suddenly and without warning, and Summer jumped and reddened as if whoever it was had just walked in and caught her on her knees in front of him.

Lukas, the intruder, immediately halted his steps and raised an eyebrow upon finding a towel-clad Bucky grinning down at his pajama-clad wife. Then he grinned quite devilishly himself and said, "Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt. I had no idea you were in here, Summer."

"Yeah, well, I'm - uh - I'm going now anyway," she said, face utterly on fire as she hurriedly turned away from Bucky and grabbed her phone from the table next to the bed, which made Lukas' eyebrow fly up even higher. She then turned back to Bucky and said, "Um, thanks for... you know. For everything."

Lukas' eyes widened.

Bucky nodded. "Yeah."

She smiled at him and then hurried out, pointedly ignoring the highly suspicious grin on Lukas' face. The very minute that she was gone, Lukas strolled inside and began a quick rundown of his sudden investigation.

He eyed the unmade bed first. "Rumpled sheets," he noted. "Bed clearly occupied by two rather than the usual one." He turned to Bucky. "You, wet and in only a towel. Your wife in her pajamas. 'Thank you for everything'. That little grin on your face when I walked in. Am I wrong to conclude that the two of you -"

"Yes, you're wrong," Bucky rolled his eyes. "It's not what you think."

"What," Lukas scoffed, "did you two merely _snuggle_ all night long?"

Bucky paused, blinked, and then muttered, "Yeah, actually."

Lukas's eyes widened again. "Wait. You _did_?"

"Yep," Bucky replied, turning away and dropping his towel to the floor as he reached into the top drawer of his dresser.

Lukas suddenly threw his arm in front of Bucky's face. "Pinch me. I must be dreaming."

Bucky rolled his eyes and smacked his arm away. "How's the ear?"

Lukas paused. "What?"

"How's your ear?" Bucky asked a little louder.

"It's not terrible," Lukas replied, "but apparently it might get worse before it gets better. You mumble a lot so you're going to have to speak up if you want me to hear you over the next few weeks."

Bucky sighed and started getting dressed as he asked, "So why'd you come bursting in here out of nowhere?"

"Steve just arrived and is downstairs with Tony," Lukas answered. "Natasha is working with them now as we speak to compile a list of known Triad associates for Summer to look through later so she can ID the man she killed."

Bucky nodded, throwing a shirt on. "Good. I'll be there in a minute."

Lukas nodded, then asked, "So, who was the little spoon?"

Bucky shot him a glare. "There was no spooning."

"What?"

"I said there was no fucking spooning," Bucky half-shouted. "Fuck, you're like a senile old man."

"... Did you just say I smell like a Christmas ham?"

Bucky groaned in despair.

* * *

"... I figured this was what you had in mind when you said we were gonna have a therapeutic afternoon."

Aemilia grinned and gave Summer a friendly nudge. "Did I not mention the details of what that therapy would involve?"

Summer shook her head, looking upon the enormous indoor pool sprawled out before them. "Nope. Although telling me to bring a bathing suit gave me a pretty good idea."

"Ah yes, that certainly destroyed all the mystery," Aemilia giggled, walking in front of Summer and tossing her a grin. "Sorry about that."

Following Aemilia and setting down her supplies on the ground next to a few lounge seats - her supplies being pretty much her phone and a towel - Summer then asked, "Am I right to assume that you're trying to distract me from spending my day wallowing in horror over yesterday?"

"Maybe," Aemilia shrugged, dropping the green little slinky robe she had on over her swimsuit and toeing off her sandals. "I also happened to be in the mood for a swim. Nice light exercise, very good during pregnancy, or so I've read."

Summer grinned and then fell speechless, mostly due to Aemilia and her _very_ low cut one piece swimsuit. It was a lovely shade of green and the neckline plunged to just above her navel, with little cutouts on the side providing an extra glimpse of skin here and there. Her belly looked adorable but of course, the main focal point were her newly enlarged breasts. Summer couldn't help it - they were huge and they were _there_.

"I'm sorry, what did you say? I was busy questioning my sexuality and couldn't hear you," Summer replied, and Aemilia cracked up laughing.

"Oh, please," she giggled, motioning for Summer to come over. Aemilia sat on the edge of the pool and dangled her feet over it, touching her toes to the pleasantly cool water. "Though I must admit, I spent about ten minutes staring at these things when I got out of the shower this morning. They've never been so large before and it's just... bizarre."

"And _awesome_ ," Summer grinned, sitting next to her. "I mean, look, I've had mine since I was 13 and I used to hate them, but... boobs are great. All boobs are great. Because they're _boobs_."

"I can't argue with you there," Aemilia giggled. "Are you going to sit there in your shorts and plaid shirt all day?"

Summer glanced down and grimaced. "Maybe."

Aemilia gave her a pointed look. "Oh, come on, woman. Get up and strip. I'm sitting here like _this_. It's only fair."

" _Fine_ ," Summer groaned, standing back up and slowly unbuttoning her shirt. Being Summer, she was rarely ever comfortable being in a swimsuit any sort of public beach or pool, but this was different and she could get over it, she thought. So she bit the bullet and shed the extra clothes, and when she turned around, Aemilia gave her a rather theatrical low whistle. Summer rolled her eyes and said, "And as you can probably guess, Lizzie bought me this."

"It is... very, _very_ nice," Aemilia grinned back. It was a fairly simple black two piece with high waisted bottoms, but dark sheer panels on the sides of the bottoms and between her breasts on the top gave it an extra _something_. "You know, Summer, I'm going to tell you something and I want you to know that I truly mean it, and I would mean it even if I didn't already know you and adore you. You are an _unbelievably_ sexy woman."

Summer predictably blushed up a storm and giggled, "Oh my God, stop. _No_. But thank you."

"It's true," Aemilia grinned as Summer sat next to her again, this time dipping her toes in the water as well. "If only your husband was here to see. He'd probably pull a muscle and hurt himself."

Summer smiled back and sighed, still not over the night and morning that they'd spent together. It was such a huge turn from how they used to be, and she could hardly believe how much closer they'd gotten to being actual friends. "I'd put my clothes back on so fast I'd pull a muscle myself."

Aemilia rolled her eyes. "I doubt you'll always feel that way. In fact, I would wager that someday his entrance into a room will make you want to take your clothes off even faster."

Summer chuckled nervously and opted to change the subject. "So how's Lukas? I only saw him for a few seconds earlier and he seemed fine, but..."

"Well, as you can imagine he was rather shaken last night - we both were - but... he's all right, and so am I. He is very resilient. Always has been."

"Good," Summer smiled with relief. "The whole thing was just so... terrifying. But I'm glad that you especially weren't hurt, with the baby and all."

"And that's partially thanks to your husband," Aemilia noted. "The first thing he did was throw me behind him and shield me after the first shot went off."

"Thank God," Summer sighed. Then, stomach prickling with mild anxiety, she said, "Ugh. I need to change the subject before I start freaking out again. So... on a lighter note," she smiled, "got any names picked out yet for the little peanut?"

"Oh dear, no, I'm afraid not," Aemilia chuckled. "It's proving rather difficult to find names for both genders that sound good with both Montgomery and Orlov."

Summer paused and then furrowed her brows in confusion. "Wait, what?"

Aemilia glanced at her and then said, "Oh, you must not know. Montgomery isn't Lukas' name, it's my maiden name. His last name is Orlov. Frieda Orlov, Arthur Orlov, Lukas Orlov. We use Montgomery because it's less overtly Russian and makes our public images a bit easier to maintain, being the faces of the company and all. So whatever child we have will be a Montgomery to the world but an Orlov here at home."

" _Oh_ , I had no idea," Summer replied. "I mean, I didn't really get how a Russian family could end up with Montgomery for a last name, but I wasn't gonna question it."

Aemilia giggled and nodded. "Yes, I know it's confusing. Though I must say, I do get a kick out of Lukas being called my maiden name at work and in the boardroom. Sometimes it makes me feel rather possessive."

Summer raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Go on. Do tell me how you, um... get through that particular feeling."

"Hmm... I think that's best left to the imagination," Aemilia winked. "Because if I know you as well as I think, you'll definitely imagine some interesting things."

Summer sighed and got up to her feet. "Fine, keep me guessing. I'll just take me and my unspeakable thoughts over here to the diving board."

"Please do," Aemilia giggled. "Make a splash for both of us. I can't dive for at least another six or seven months."

"Yeah, worth it, though," Summer smiled before making her way to the board and climbing up the ladder to it. Unbeknownst to Aemilia, she'd been on the swim team in high school - the only physical sport she'd ever been halfway okay at - and she felt pretty comfortable with water, swimsuits notwithstanding.

After diving off the board and making a flawless splash into the water, her head emerged and Aemilia gave her a round of applause. Summer laughed and swam to the other end of the pool towards her friend, and she persuaded her to get in and enjoy it with her. Aemilia obliged and they killed some time together, chatting and swimming and occasionally splashing each other whenever such an assault was warranted.

"So be honest with me," Summer said at one point, floating on her back as Aemilia did the same. "How many times have you and Lukas done the deed in this pool?"

Aemilia immediately grinned and shook her head. "I'm a proper lady. I don't speak of such things."

"Oh yeah, sure," Summer chuckled. "Come on, out with it."

"... Only twice," Aemilia shrugged. "There's a hot tub we've defiled on a much larger scale."

"... I hate you," Summer sighed, and Aemilia giggled. "I've never had pool sex. Ever."

"Really? That's a shame. Out of curiosity, where _is_ the most adventurous place _you_ have, as you put it, done the deed?"

"Oh gosh, uh... hmm," Summer furrowed her brows, squinting up at the sun and thinking back. "... A getaway car."

Aemilia's eyes widened. "A getaway car?!"

Summer cringed and explained, "Well, you see, Scott was, uh... well, he was robbing someone, and the guy who was supposed to drive his getaway car saw a cop and got freaked out and drove off. So he called me at three in the morning and begged me to come and get him before he got caught."

"... Oh my, you're such a criminal," Aemilia laughed.

"Oh trust me, I wasn't happy about it," Summer replied. "I mean, I knew he had this Robin Hood... thing where he'd rob - well, _burgle_ , he's very particular about that word - burgle rich old jerks and help his friends pay their bills and take care of their families and stuff, but I just didn't want to be involved. So anyway, I went and picked him up and started yelling at him the minute he got in the car, made sure he knew how unhappy I was with having to crawl out of bed at 3 in the morning and go be his getaway driver. He said he was sorry over and over, and then I drove past a cop and almost had a panic attack. I pulled into an empty parking lot and he had to calm me down."

"... Calm you down?" Aemilia grinned.

"Yeah... he just hugged me and thanked me a lot, and then I realized that he was still in his 'burglar gear' - you know, all black, hoodie, that kind of thing - and then I started kissing him and the next thing I knew, we were in the backseat um... doing the deed."

"... How scandalous," Aemilia grinned. "Summer, the getaway driver and backseat lover."

Summer groaned but admitted, "Well, he did make up for me losing sleep. He's pretty good with... you know... his... stuff."

"His _stuff_?"

"Yes, _stuff_ ," Summer laughed. "Now the ironic thing about that story is a cop _did_ catch us in the backseat, right after we were done and I was still naked -"

" _Completely_ naked?!"

She paused. "... Yes. _Anyway_ , so this cop banged on our windshield and told us to get out of there. He had no idea Scott had like five grand worth of stolen crap in the trunk."

Aemilia seemed utterly delighted by the story. "Look at how close you came to being a felon. I am so impressed."

"Yeah... so what about you? Most adventurous place?"

"Hmm... oh dear," Aemilia grinned, thinking back to hers and Lukas' greatest hits. "Well... board room table, of course. Let's see... we also did a bit of screwing around at a very exclusive restaurant in Paris, under our table. Julia Roberts was sitting a few tables over from us. What else, what else... oh! This isn't exactly adventurous, really, but when we were invited to Russia and met the President there, we stayed at the Grand Kremlin Palace and christened our room there quite enthusiastically."

Summer's jaw fell open. "Okay, wait - you banged on the board room table? And... you went to Russia and met the President _and_ banged in a palace?!"

Aemilia giggled. "Yes, and before you ask, no, it wasn't a mob thing. It was part of a business conference in Moscow and we were invited along with like 15 other Western CEOs. We met the President and took a tour of the Kremlin. It was quite fun."

"Wow. That's really cool," Summer smiled. "I wonder if I'll ever get to go to Russia."

"Undoubtedly," Aemilia replied, "I liked it there. It's a nation with such a rich history."

"And vodka," Summer added.

"The best vodka in the world," Aemilia grinned. "You haven't had vodka until you've had true Russian vodka. Seriously, there is a massive difference."

"Well, hopefully I'll find out someday," Summer said before climbing out of the pool and dripping her way back to the diving board. "Now watch out, I'm gonna dive again."

Swimming to the edge of the pool, Aemilia leaned against the wall behind her and watched as Summer climbed the ladder again and prepared to jump. Unbeknownst to Summer, a certain two men had just made their way to the pool room to retrieve both her and Aemilia, and she now had a bit of audience.

Bucky, with Lukas at his side, looked up and got a rather spectacular view of his wife from the back. Her hair was wet and her swimsuit clung to her like a second skin, and when she leapt off the board and hit the water in a pretty impressive dive, he blinked slowly and Lukas didn't really notice, because he was too busy making eyes at his own wife.

Summer continued to be oblivious as she swam all the way to the other end of the pool, sharing a brief high five with Aemilia before starting to climb out of the pool, in need of a drink. As a result, Bucky watched her step out of the pool like a temptress out of a Bond movie, and he nearly had a stroke.

After gulping down a third of a bottle of water, Summer replaced the cap and turned around only to jolt in surprise and freeze at the sight of Bucky staring rather intently at her. Lukas punched his arm, and Bucky shook himself and snapped out of it as Summer smiled nervously and hurriedly grabbed her towel.

"We, um... we need you to come with us," Bucky explained, trying to maintain eye contact with her as she held the towel over her front. Aemilia sighed and shook her head at Summer's antics, and Lukas winked at her as he enjoyed the immensely attractive view of his wife in that deliciously revealing green swimsuit.

"Oh. Why?" Summer asked, knowing she was being ridiculous covering herself as she was but finding that she really just couldn't help it.

"We have a list of pictures for you to look through," he replied quietly. "To identify the man you shot yesterday."

She frowned, the wind leaving her sails for the second time that day. "Oh. Do I... _have_ to do that?"

He nodded sympathetically. "Yeah. Unfortunately."

"Okay. Well, um, I'll just... get dressed," she muttered, and Bucky nodded before awkwardly turning to give her a semblance of privacy. She then grabbed her shorts and threw her clothes back on as quickly as she could, not noticing when Bucky snuck a glance and got punched again by Lukas as a result.

Aemilia climbed out of the pool as Summer got dressed, immediately stealing Lukas' attention. He strolled over to her and shared a kiss with her as he handed her towel to her, drawing back after and saying, "This might just be my personal favorite gift that I've given you."

"Oh?" Aemilia grinned, drying herself off. "And why could that possibly be?"

"I can think of a reason," he teased, eyes falling from her own to the impressive cleavage she was displaying. "Or two."

She giggled and pulled him back for another kiss, and unbeknownst to them, the now-dressed Summer and rather stiff Bucky were standing awkwardly next to each other, Summer shifting and Bucky barely suppressing a groan as the happy couple in their midst shared a not-so-private moment together. It continued on until Bucky cleared his throat, and Lukas and Aemilia both groaned and reluctantly drew away.

"Sorry," Aemilia told them with a little smile, blushing as she tossed her cover back on.

"Yes well, one can hardly blame me," Lukas said, taking her hand and leading her back towards Bucky and Summer. Then he looked at Bucky and said rather mischievously, "A man can only control himself so much when it comes to a beautiful, brilliant woman who happens to be _his_ , yes?"

Summer reddened a little, wondering what that exactly meant, and Bucky narrowed his eyes at his friend before saying, "Let's get going."

He started leading the way then, and Summer fell into step just behind him with the other couple. Lukas shot her a wink, and she smiled before asking, "How's your ear?"

"What?"

"There's your answer," Aemilia told Summer with a rueful smile. "It's rather bad."

"Oh," Summer frowned. "I'm sorry."

"Well, temporary hearing loss is far preferable to a permanent death," he noted sincerely. "You won't hear a single complaint out of me."

Summer smiled, warmed by the genuine gratitude in his eyes, and Aemilia added, "Which is a first for him, trust me. You should see him when he gets a cold. _Darling_ ," she whined in a high-pitched, pathetic drawl, " _I don't feel good. Everything hurts, I can't breathe, I can't think, I'm going to die._ This man can take a bullet or serious injury and act like its nothing, but give him a cold and he's absolutely useless."

"You know, dear, I _can_ hear perfectly with my right ear," Lukas pointed out with a good-natured nudge. Aemilia giggled and pressed a kiss to his cheek in apology, and Summer sighed silently with a smile before glancing towards Bucky. He was still walking ahead of them, all business and all serious, and Summer wished that there wasn't such an obvious and stark chasm between the happiness and ease of Lukas and Aemilia and the awkward dynamic of herself and Bucky. That unease was clearly still very much there, even if things _were_ improving between them. At least they were civil now, though she still had no hope of them achieving what Lukas and Aemilia had.

Not much longer after, Bucky led the small group into a room Summer had never been inside before. It looked like a mini-command center with computers and high-tech equipment everywhere, and Tony was sitting in front of three paper-thin monitors with Natasha and Steve flanking him. Sam was sitting in a seat nearby, his arm in a sling, and Summer made a beeline for him first without even glancing at the others.

"How are you?" she asked, rushing up to him and giving him a delicate hug that didn't aggravate his injuries.

"I'm doing just fine," Sam chuckled, giving her a one-armed hug back. "Don't even have a concussion. Guess my head's even harder than my mama used to say."

Summer smiled and pulled away with a sigh. "Well, thank God. I was worried when I didn't see you at breakfast."

"Nah, just slept in a little bit," he shrugged. "How are _you_ holding up?"

"... I'm okay," she replied quietly, looking up when Steve approached her with a cautious, tight smile.

"Hey," he said gently, hands in his pockets. "Sorry to have to do this so soon after your ordeal."

She forced a smile back and shrugged lightly. "I understand. It's all right. I wanna help anyway that I can."

Steve nodded, and then Tony rolled up an extra seat next to his and said, "Go on and take a seat, kid. Sooner you get started the sooner it'll be over."

Summer took a breath and nodded, glancing at Bucky briefly before taking the offered seat. He stood to her left while Aemilia stood behind her, next to Steve. He smiled and gave her a quiet greeting, blushing a little at her current attire. Even covered up, it was still enough to make him blush and pointedly look nowhere besides her face.

"So, we've got quite a few faces here but we want you to take your time," Tony said, preparing to start going through the slides. "If anyone looks even remotely familiar, tell us. If you're not sure, tell us. But one of the guys here _should_ be the one you offed last night."

Summer nodded, and to her great surprise, Bucky grimaced and said, " _Offed_? Can you be a little more sensitive, Tony?"

Summer's eyes widened. Bucky - _Bucky_ \- telling someone else to be more sensitive for Summer's sake? _Holy frick_.

Tony seemed pretty surprised too. "Oh. Yeah, sure, boss. Whatever you say. All right, let's get started."

Refocusing back on the task at hand as best as she could, Summer's stomach started twisting into knots the minute the first picture appeared on the screen.

She shook her head. "No." Tony moved on to the second suspect, and she shook her head again. "No." Five more photos later, the answer to all of them was still no, and her anxiety continued to swirl about within her head as she continued looking through the photos.

After 30 photos, she was starting to wonder if it was all an exercise in futility. Just when she was sure that she'd gotten all nervous for no reason, the 36th photo made her breath stutter and her stomach drop. Just one look at the man's face and the nausea from the night before was back, threatening to eject her breakfast without her consent.

At her silence, all eyes went to Summer. Gently, Aemilia asked from behind her, "Is that him?"

Swallowing down what might have been more than just a dry lump in her throat, Summer nodded and muttered, "Yeah. That's him."

Steve took a deep breath and shared a meaningful look with Bucky. Bucky frowned back and then noticed Natasha wearing the same look, mirroring the expression of everyone in the room aside from Summer.

"You're positive?" Steve asked.

She nodded and glanced up at him. "Yeah. 100%."

He nodded. "Okay."

That was when Summer noticed the carefully guarded but mildly horrified looks on everyone's faces. Anxiety spiking even further, she widened her eyes and asked anyone who would answer, "What? What's wrong? Who is he?"

Natasha was the one who answered, bluntly but with caution and care in her tone. "You shot and killed the son of the Triad's top American leader."

As Summer sat there and watched her world tilt on its axis again, Tony did some quick typing and said, "Intel says he was being groomed for taking over dear ol' dad's job. Makes sense why he'd come here and try to pick off our leadership. Prove he's got what it takes."

"This isn't good," Steve said, stating the obvious. "Any low-level guy and it would hardly matter, but _this_..."

Inner alarm levels rising even higher, Summer looked to Bucky and became even more frightened by the hard, worried look on his face. She wasn't stupid, and she knew what everyone was alluding to.

"They're gonna kill me now, aren't they?" she asked in a small, horrified voice, and Bucky immediately shook his head.

"No. I won't let them touch you," he told her rather fiercely.

"None of us will," Natasha added.

Summer looked at Aemilia and Lukas, both of them looking rather sober themselves, and she muttered, "But they got in here - in this _house_ \- and -"

"I already increased security," Bucky told her. "Nobody comes in or out of here without being cleared. And we're not gonna host anymore functions here or let any outsiders step one foot on the property line."

None of that was comforting to Summer in the least. A sickening heat creeping up her spine and making her nausea even worse, she said, "But I go to work. I go out almost every day and they _saw_ me, I know they did. They know I killed that guy. They -"

To her slight surprise, Steve put a hand on her shoulder and tried to calm her down a bit. "Listen, I know it's scary - I do - but you're very well protected here. And this isn't just mob against mob, either. SHIELD has a stake in all of this too. I'll coordinate with security both here and at Pierce Consolidated and we'll do everything we can to make sure that you're safe."

... But would she ever be safe? From the minute she'd walked into this world she had faced one danger or another, and now it was immeasurably worse. She wasn't built for this, not like all these hardened fighters surrounding her. She wasn't Natasha who had been training since she was old enough to do multiplication tables, or Bucky who had been initiated at 18 but trained well before then, or Lukas and Aemilia who were both highly skilled badasses under their public personas.

She was just a young woman who had dreamed of one day running her father's company only to watch it crumble before her eyes and then be forced into a terrifying world that she was now completely sure that she couldn't handle.

She turned back to the computer screen and stared at the face of the man that she'd killed as the people around her talked and strategized. Their words were mere noise to her, meaning nothing and going through one ear and out the other, all while she slowly descended into a panic attack that would eclipse all the others that she'd previously had in her lifetime.

When the room became too stiflingly hot for her to handle and she couldn't take anymore noise, she tore out of her seat and fled the room. Bucky called after her in concern but she didn't hear him, following her tunnel-like vision down the hallway and to the left, having no real sense of direction and just seconds away from completely losing it.

She ran out of steam after she turned that corner, hand going to the wall to steady herself as she tried and failed to catch her breath in the empty corridor. So much was racing through her head - the vivid memory of killing that man, the nauseating sound of the gun firing and the bullet smashing his faces to bits, a piece of her soul being ripped away in the process and now, _now_ she was gonna die because she'd killed a horrifically powerful man's son and she wasn't safe, she'd never be safe, she never _had_ been safe since the day that she -

"Oh, God, come here," came a feminine, sympathetic voice, and in the midst of Summer's deep spiraling, she was pulled into Aemilia's arms and held there tight. And Aemilia didn't let go until Summer could breathe again.

She didn't know how long they stayed like that or quite how they ended up on the floor sitting against the wall, but when her panic attack had burned itself out and her journey back to reality began, that was where she found herself. Aemilia was holding her hand comfortingly and not saying a word, just simply _being_ there for her. She always seemed to know what to do and how to make Summer feel a little better, and that was a skill that would undoubtedly make her a fantastic mother one day very soon.

Summer took a deep breath and let her head fall back against the wall, muttering, "I guess I should start planning my own funeral."

Aemilia sighed. "I don't think so, dear. You're not leaving us anytime soon."

"I don't know about that," Summer replied, closing her eyes. "Now that I have a bullseye on my head, pretty sure someone's gonna eventually hit it."

"Well, Summer, I can promise you that you have very strong, skilled, and powerful people who are going to make sure that doesn't happen," Aemilia told her. "Bucky might be distant but he'll die before he lets someone hurt his wife. And Lukas and I would have protected you with our lives even before you saved his last night. We are hardly helpless victims here. We have the upper hand. We aren't going to let them have their revenge."

Summer let out a shaky breath and turned back to her friend. "Even if that's true... even if nothing ever happens to me or any of us and everything's fine... I don't know how much more of this I can take. I'm not... I'm not like all of you. This isn't _me_. I never wanted this life and I never would have chosen it. I'm not Natasha, I'm not _you_ , I'm -"

"Summer," Aemilia said quietly, a small smile on her lips, "I wasn't born into this, either. I grew up in London with a mother who only cared about money and status and a father who I barely saw when I was little. I knew nothing of any mafia aside from what I saw in _The Godfather_. I wasn't trained, I wasn't raised the way Natasha was, or Lukas. I was a lot like you. The only difference was that I _did_ choose this life, but trust me, I've paid the price for those choices."

"What do you mean?" Summer asked, sniffling and wondering when she'd started to cry.

Aemilia paused and looked down at her lap as she gathered her words, preparing to tell a story that she rarely shared. "When I first married Lukas, it was a huge adjustment for the both of us. He trained me himself and helped me learn how to handle myself in an organization full of men who aren't always exactly nice or trustworthy. He never gave me any illusions as to what a marriage with him would involve and what I would risk. I knew that I was choosing a complicated life and putting a _lot_ on the line, but I never truly thought twice. I loved him and I knew he would be worth all of it."

Summer smiled a little. "Yeah. You guys are perfect for each other."

Aemilia smiled back, then let the smile slowly fade as she spoke again. "When I was first named co-CEO, as you know, there was a lot of controversy. Having two CEOs is uncommon enough, but two _married_ CEOs is unheard of. People said I was too young, that I didn't deserve the job, that I had quite literally slept my way to the top, everything you can imagine. I had known that would happen, so I just let it roll off my back. But I didn't know _quite_ how angry some people would get."

"What happened?" Summer asked quietly.

Aemilia drew a deep breath. "There was a big party the day that I officially became co-CEO. There was a press conference and interviews and then the party, and I was just exhausted by the end of the day. After it was all over my assistant and I went to my new office to make sure everything was set up for me the next day. It was just the two of us in there. And just as we were ready to leave, these two men appeared out of nowhere and attacked us."

Summer's eyes widened. "Oh God."

"The man who came after me was the CFO at the time. He was ambitious and saw me as a symbol of everything that was wrong with the company, and probably the world too. He wanted the job for himself, of course, and being the CFO, he was also Bratva. He felt as if he'd been ignored for years and not properly rewarded for his loyalty. So he took it out on me. His bodyguard held a knife to my assistant's throat as he threw me on my desk and tried to choke me to death."

Utter horror in her eyes, Summer listened intently and found herself unable to speak at that current moment.

Still looking down at her lap, Aemilia shakily added, "I was sure that I was going to die. But I tried to grab anything that I could to defend myself, and I found a letter opener on my desk. I stabbed him in the neck and broke his grip on me, and then I just... I snapped. Self-preservation took over and I just... kept stabbing him, over and over again once he was on the floor. Then the other man yelled that he'd kill my assistant if I didn't stop. I stopped, but then Lukas snuck up behind him and snapped his neck."

Summer was speechless. She'd had no idea that Aemilia had been through something like that before.

"The CFO was dead by then too," Aemilia said quietly. "I killed him. And then once we were safe I realized what I'd done. My hands were covered in blood, my dress, even part of my face, my hair." She swallowed hard, the story clearly still hard for her to speak of to this day. "I dropped the letter opener and almost screamed, but Lukas came and grabbed me and held me on the floor while I lost my mind. I was ready to quit and give up, and I was so, _so_ scared and just... absolutely revolted by it all. But Lukas just told me to breathe through it and that it would pass, and that I'd feel better with time."

He'd told Summer something very similar the night before, after her own first kill. "Did you?"

Aemilia met her eyes and gave her a small rueful smile. "It changes you. You know that now. You'll never forget the horror of that first moment when you realize that someone's dead because you killed them. Even if they were attacking you and it was your life or theirs, it's horrific. But yes, it gets better. I promise you that it does."

"... You killed people last night," Summer pointed out. "How... how do you do it?"

"Because I have to," Aemilia replied simply. "It's not often that I do. But those men were in my house and trying to kill my family. I did it the same way that you did when you shot that man. You simply do what must be done. And it's terrible and I hate it, and I hate that you had to do what you did, but this _is_ our lives, for better or worse. It's more unfair to you because you never chose this, but... it's our reality, Summer. And I know you're scared. I am too. But we _can_ get through this."

Tears filling Summer's eyes again, she looked away and muttered shakily, "I just... if they come after me and someone _else_ gets hurt because of it, I won't be able to handle it. I mean, Sam got shot in the shoulder protecting me and I can barely take _that_. I hate this. I'm not even really a part of you guys and now I'm gonna need even more protection and..."

"Not really a part of us?" Aemilia repeated in disbelief. "Summer, you are as much a part of this family as I am. Regardless of how and why you came here, you're _here_ now and that's all that matters. And besides," she added with the slightest of cracks to her voice, "this baby of mine wouldn't have a father anymore if it wasn't for you. That alone makes you one of us. Forever."

Vision blurring with tears again, Summer wiped her eyes and dropped her head on Aemilia's shoulder. "Thank you."

"For what?" Aemilia asked quietly.

"For saying that," Summer replied. "And for telling me that story. I could tell it wasn't easy for you to talk about. And... just... for making me feel a little better. Talking me down from the ledge."

Aemilia smiled and threw an arm around her shoulders, hugging her from the side. "You're welcome. I'm happy to do it. And I'm sorry that you're having to go through all of this. It's not fair."

It truly wasn't. But life was unfair, Summer had long ago learned, and as Aemilia had said... this was her reality. She couldn't turn back time and change what had happened, couldn't do a damn thing to change her current situation. All she could do was keep breathing and keep training and keep moving, praying that things wouldn't get worse before they got better.

She had no way of knowing if they would or wouldn't, and she hated not knowing. She hated being helpless and hated being a burden even more, and nobody would ever convince her that she wasn't one.

But this was her life now, and she might not ever escape it. Hopefully, however, she'd at least _survive_ it.

* * *

The rest of the day crawled by almost agonizingly slowly. Summer, wanting nothing more than to just retreat back to bed and sleep her stress away, instead endured the following hours and did her best to not have anymore meltdowns. That was especially difficult when Lizzie cornered her and asked what the heck was wrong and what had her looking even more spooked than before, and since Summer couldn't lie to save her life, Lizzie found out about her daughter's likely new status as a major target of the Triad and proceeded to nearly lose her mind herself.

It was a very, _very_ long day. And by the time that it was finally over and Summer was curled up in bed - her own, since she didn't have the guts to ask Bucky to let her stay the night with him again - she found that despite her bone-deep exhaustion, she couldn't sleep no matter what she did. She tried to read a book, watch a movie, count imaginary sheep, and none of it did any good.

Wide awake at two in the morning, Summer decided to hell with it and did the logical thing - she got up and out of bed and headed downstairs to stress-bake her worries away.

It was what she had done back when she had first found out that she'd been sold to a shady, nameless mob boss, and now that she was knee-deep in said mob and had killed a man whose father now likely wanted her six feet under as soon as possible, it was time to do it again.

She grabbed a bottle of whiskey and slowly nursed it straight from the source as she got started making an enormous batch of obscenely chocolatey cookies. Some bakers thought that triple chocolate cookies were a big deal, but Summer wasn't impressed. Her specialty was quadruple chocolate cookies, and they'd once won first place in a local amateur baking contest. She had the ribbon buried somewhere in one of the boxes she'd never unpacked and thrown into the back of her closet.

She made one batch specifically for Sam, the very first one. She put all 24 cookies aside to cool down and got started on the next one, which she planned on gifting to Aemilia and Lukas, snacking on the dough and sipping on the whiskey in between batches. The only thing missing was music, but she remedied that and was soon enthusiastically lip-syncing to Bon Jovi's _Livin' on a Prayer_ as she prepped the batch that she planned on devouring possibly all on her own.

While she wasn't in the financial distress of the song's famous Tommy and Gina, she could relate in that she was starting to feel like she was literally living on prayers at that point in her life. Things were just... _happening_ to her. Her engagement happened, her new job happened, the almost-rape happened, and the night prior had certainly _happened_. She was in a state of constant ups and downs, her life suddenly manic in that one day she could be dancing with her friends at a party and the next she could be in the middle of a firefight in her own home and shooting someone in the face.

It was all insane. And in the middle of it all, she was starting to feel some serious and very real _things_ for the same man she'd trembled in fear of only a matter of months earlier.

Waking up in his arms had been... _wow_. She could hardly think of words to do it justice, rolling the little handfuls of cookie dough into balls and putting them on the cookie sheet. When her thoughts weren't dominated by death and destruction, they were instead full of _him_. The closer she got to him the closer she wanted to _be_ to him, even though the very thought still terrified her. He was such a mystery still, so many aspects of him and his life completely unknown to her, but he pulled her in more and more with each encounter and she wondered if he even knew it.

The cookie dough ready, she picked up the cookie sheet and turned around to put it in the oven, in the midst of pretend-belting out one of the song's higher notes. She then proceeded to squeak in sudden shock and nearly drop the cookie sheet to the floor when she found herself unexpectedly face to face with the very man she'd been in the midst of mentally fixating on.

"Oh God, mother of frick," she half-exclaimed, righting herself and gripping the sheet with both hands. "You seriously need to make actual noise when you walk."

"Sorry," he muttered, eyeing her strangely. "What are you doing?"

She hesitated, briefly taking in his casual attire of a t-shirt and sweatpants, similar to how he'd looked on movie night a few weeks ago, and his long hair down and a little messy. "I'm, uh... baking. Cookies."

"... At two in the morning?"

She shrugged. "Yeah. This is actually pretty normal for me. I, um... I stress-bake."

He furrowed his brows. "Stress-bake?"

She nodded. "Because chocolate makes everything better." She then quickly shoved the cookies into the oven, set the timer, and turned back towards him with a forced air of nonchalance. "So... what are you doing down here at 2 in the morning?"

"I was gonna get a drink," he said, eyes drifting to the open bottle of whiskey sitting on the counter. "That's... actually... mine."

She froze and glanced at the bottle of whiskey, then back to him in sudden alarm. "... It is?"

He nodded. "S'my favorite brand. They keep it stocked for me."

Her face immediately reddened. "Oh God, I'm sorry. I had no idea, I just... saw it and... crap, I've been drinking straight from the bottle and getting my germs in it and everything..."

He gave a small shrug, walking past her and grabbing the bottle from the counter. He then turned back to her and took a drink from it before handing it to her and leaning back against the counter. "I think we both need it."

"Yeah," she nodded before taking another drink of her own from the bottle, unable to get the blush off of her cheeks. She then passed it back to him and took a breath, suddenly noticing that her phone was still playing music. She grabbed it and shut it off, moving rather spastically and earning curious looks from her new companion. But she simply smiled and tried to change the subject. "So... you like cookies?"

He glanced at the big bowl of cookie dough behind him on the counter. "Um..."

"They're... my award winning quadruple chocolate cookies. And I mean it, I won an actual award for them," she smiled, grabbing a spoon and scooping a bit of the dough from the bowl. She handed him the spoon and he stared at it like it might be radioactive. "Try it."

"I'm not really a big... cookie person..."

She wiggled the spoon. "Oh, come on. Just try it. If you love Aemilia's hot chocolate, you'll love this too. Just taste it."

Meeting her eyes and giving in, he sighed and took the spoon. She then watched in great anticipation as he slid the spoon into his mouth, maintaining eye contact with her all the while because he just _had_ to make something as mundane as eating cookie dough a thoroughly sexual experience, and she blushed again and shifted nervously on her feet.

Then his entire expression changed. He furrowed his brows and dropped his eyes, looking almost confused as he chewed the dough and finally swallowed it. Then he stared down at the spoon in his hand and muttered, "Holy fuck."

Summer's face lit up. "You like it?"

He looked at her in a mixture of wonder and pure chocolate lust. "That's fucking amazing."

She grinned and took the spoon from him, grabbing a warm cookie from Lukas and Aemilia's batch and handing it to him. "Here, try one."

He happily took the cookie this time, wasting no time in taking a bite out of it as Summer grabbed the whiskey and took a nice, long gulp of it. Then she promptly choked when Bucky let out the most overtly sexual moan she'd ever heard in her life, over the damn cookie.

"What's _in_ this?" he asked as she coughed and pretended like she was perfectly fine, even though choking on whiskey was a distinctly unpleasant experience.

"Chocolate, vanilla, enough butter to make Paula Deen proud, and my secret ingredient," she replied, setting the whiskey back down.

"What's the secret ingredient?" he asked around another mouthful of cookie.

"I can't tell you that," she chided him with a smile. "It wouldn't be a secret anymore."

"S'not like I'm gonna tell anyone," he replied. "Tell me."

She shook her head. "Nope."

He narrowed his eyes at her, apparently surprised that she was actually serious about maintaining her secret. Then he shoved the rest of the cookie into his mouth, still eyeing her like he was contemplating how best to extract the information from her, and Summer was pretty sure that her entire body blushed in response.

She was staring at his mouth and she was barely even aware of it. It was just so perfect, the shape and color of his lips and the way that his jaw worked as he chewed the cookie, and when she realized how intently she was staring at his mouth, she blinked and jolted in embarrassment, stammering, "Yeah, so, um... you can have more if you want, when the next batch is ready."

Bucky glanced at the oven and back at her, hesitating before nodding. "Okay. Thanks."

She smiled, fidgeting with her fingers. "I can make them more often, if you'd want."

"You don't have to do that," he quickly replied, looking away.

"I know. But I like baking. And it gives me a big thrill when people like what I make," she admitted with a little smile. "I like making people happy. And chocolate is usually a pretty good way of doing that."

Then, to Summer's surprise, that earned a little smile from him. It was the like the one from earlier that morning, when she'd rambled herself into a corner and he had apparently found it cute and smiled at her for the first time _ever_. Now he was doing it again, and just like the first time, it warmed her heart and made her insides feel exceptionally funny.

Then the timer for the cookies screeched its annoying alarm, and the moment was brought to a premature end as Summer caught herself and hurried over to the oven. She was afraid that she'd turn around and find the spell completely broken and Bucky making his excuses to go back to bed, but to her surprise, instead she turned to find him sitting at the table nearby with the bottle of whiskey in front of him and a stolen cookie in his hand. She smiled and looked away before he could see her blush again.

Five minutes later, she was sitting across from him with a big plate of warm cookies between them and a quart of milk sitting next to it. Her stomach was aflutter with nerves and she could hardly believe that this was happening, but it was taking her mind off of the horrors lurking in the back of her head and that alone made it very much worth it.

"So," he said, picking up his third cookie and glancing up at her. "These won an award."

"Yep," she grinned. "I'm quite proud of them."

"I don't usually like cookies, but... these are good," he said, devouring half the cookie in one bite.

She smiled proudly. "I'm glad you like them. Baking is something I'm pretty confident in. Cooking took me a little longer to master, but I'm pretty good at that too. Just ask my mom. Or Scott."

His eyes flickered up to hers, expression darkening somewhat at the mention of her ex. "I'll take your word for it."

Her lips quirked a small smile, but she tried to hide it. "I miss it, actually. I love the food here but it's just so _weird_ having actual cooks and not doing it myself."

He gave her a look like she was nuts, then swallowed the cookie in his mouth and reached for the milk. "Your father never had a cook?"

"No," she said, chuckling because the idea was that preposterous. "We never even had a housekeeper. There was never a lot of extra money laying around. He gambled too much and had too many debts."

Bucky nodded, reaching for another cookie. "I figured you grew up rich. You should have. His company was successful until he drove it into the ground."

"Wow, yeah, definitely not rich," she chuckled. "My first car was a beat up old pickup truck that I bought for a thousand bucks cash from a mechanic. My mom gave me half the money and the rest came from my summer job at an ice cream shop. We were never rich." She then paused and decided that now was as good a time as any to try to get to know him better. "Did you grow up rich?"

He paused, not saying a word, and for a moment she wondered if she'd overstepped again. But then he shook his head and said, "Not at first. Not until Pierce adopted me."

"Oh," she nodded. "When was that?"

He hesitated again, but he answered her this time too. "I was 8."

She nodded, then decided to err on the side of caution and say, "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to pry, I'm just... insanely curious."

He looked up at her in slight amusement. "Yeah?"

She blushed and smiled. "Yeah. You're kind of an enigma. And... I mean... it would be kind of nice if we knew each other better. Right?"

He nodded slightly, but then he paused and his expression grew a little more serious as he met her eyes again. "Look... if you want to, you can ask me anything you want. It's fine. But there's gonna be some questions that I'm not gonna answer. So just... expect that."

"Okay," she nodded quickly, very much accepting that. She respected his limits. "That's totally fine. So... I can ask you stuff?"

He took another bite of a cookie and gestured for her to go ahead. She grinned in excitement and almost clapped her hands in joy. This was gonna be fun.

"Okay. So." She paused and studied him for a moment, her smile stuck to her face, and she decided to keep the questions as lighthearted as possible. "... Favorite color?"

That question apparently took him by such surprise that he actually laughed a little, huffing and smiling in bewilderment. "Really?"

"Yes!" she laughed, that little smile and tiny laugh of his making her spirits soar. "It says a lot about someone."

He rolled his eyes and shrugged, thinking. "I don't know. When I was a kid it was blue."

"Okay. Blue," she grinned. "Mine's red. Let's see... favorite ice cream flavor?"

He grinned again, shaking his head at her lovably silly questions. "Uh... rocky road? I don't eat it very much. I don't know."

"Hmm, okay," she smiled. "Wanna guess mine?"

He cocked his head to the side, running a hand over the scruff on his face and contemplating the issue. "Maybe... coffee ice cream, or one of those stupid flavors. Like key lime pie or cake batter."

"... Nope," she grinned. "Bubblegum."

His eyes widened in genuine surprise. "... _Bubblegum_."

She grinned and nodded enthusiastically. "It's great. I love it. I used to eat it for breakfast sometimes back in my apartment."

"I didn't even know they made bubblegum flavored ice cream. Sounds disgusting."

"Well, you never know until you try it," she pointed out. "Let's see, what else... hmm. Favorite... animal."

He snickered and dropped his head down briefly, as if to conceal a laugh. "Oh my God. It's like kindergarten all over again."

She felt unbearably excited to be getting such positive, almost cheerful reactions from him. It was absolutely perfect. "That's the idea."

"... I don't know. Do I really need to have one?"

"No, but everyone has one," she replied. "What was it when you were a kid?"

He furrowed his brows, trying to remember. "... I think... dog? I know I wanted a puppy back then. That's all I remember."

"Aw," she smiled. "Did you ever get one?"

He shook his head and reached for the whiskey. "Nope."

Well, that sucked. Switching gears, she then said, "Well, kitties are my favorite. Which is probably easy to figure out, no big surprise there." She paused and decided to slightly alter her line of questioning. "So, have you always liked long hair?"

He shook his head, passing the whiskey to her. "Nope."

"Do you like it now?"

He shrugged. "I'm used to it." Then, to her great surprise, he asked her, "Do _you_ like it?"

She froze like a deer in headlights, her heart thumping against her chest and words failing her. "Um... you mean... do I... yeah," she tripped over her words, blushing more with each one. "Your hair is... _awesome_. It really... um... suits you."

He grinned. "I meant, do you like _your_ long hair."

Her face erupted into a fiery, embarrassed blaze. " _Oh God_ , I'm an idiot. I thought you meant... ugh. Just... ignore me. And yes, yes, I like my hair long. It took me years to get it this long."

Nodding, he watched her take a generous gulp of the whiskey and started working on another cookie, his fifth or sixth. She swallowed it down and set the bottle back down, wincing and saying, "Okay, so next question. Um... favorite... superhero."

He narrowed his eyes at her and then sighed, thinking for a moment. "... Wonder Woman."

"... Are you just saying that for the boobs and tiny uniform?" Summer asked, narrowing her eyes right back at him.

He shot her that tiny grin again and shrugged. "She's hot. Tall, brunette, could kill you with one punch... what's not to like?"

Summer blushed again. So he liked tall badass brunettes with generous curves? Was he saying this on purpose? Was he hinting at something or was she just imagining things?

"Can I ask you something?"

Her eyes snapped back up to his, not having expected him to ask that. "Oh. Yeah, of course."

"Are you still afraid of me?"

Well, that was much more serious of a question than she'd been anticipating. Despite her surprise, there was no hesitation in her answer. "No. Not for a long time now."

"... Good," he murmured, casting his eyes back down. "Just... wanted to make sure."

Then she decided to ask a more serious question of her own. "Do you still wish I wasn't here?"

He glanced up at her in surprise. The answer that he gave her was a bit more complicated than his others. "... I wish you never had to go through what you have since you've been here. But if you're asking me if I resent you being here or want to get rid of you, no. You..." he paused and looked down, shaking his head slightly. "You haven't given me any reason to want that."

She nodded, chewing her lip and letting those words sink in before she made an attempt at humor. "Well, hopefully that's not just the chocolate and whiskey talking."

"It's not," he assured her, and the way that he looked her in the eyes as he said that sent shivers down her spine. Then he asked her another question. "Do you wish you weren't here?"

That was the most loaded question of them all. Taking a deep breath and briefly closing her eyes, feeling the room spin just a little bit thanks to the whiskey she'd downed, she replied, "It's really weird because... I've met the most incredible people since I came here, and I've got this amazing job and I've had some really great experiences. But there's also obviously been some really... _really_ bad things and... now I'm gonna have a target on my back. So... in some ways it's turned out better than I would have ever dreamed. In others it's been pretty bad, but... no, I don't want to leave." She paused and laughed under her breath. "I actually want to be a part of all of this. There's such a deep sense of family here and... I really love that part of it. It's like nothing I've ever seen before."

He stared at her like that answer utterly floored him. She suddenly wondered if he'd expected her to say that yes, she'd be out the door and gone forever if she had that as a viable option.

When he said nothing and silence hung in the air for a few moments, Summer took a breath and smiled as she broke the ice. "Anyway, yeah... so... that got kind of... deep."

"Sorry," he murmured, taking another swig of the whiskey himself. "I can ask you something a little less serious if you want."

"Yeah, hit me," she grinned. She was loving the fact that he was actually showing a genuine interest in her and that they had been holding a mutually enjoyable conversation for as long as they had been.

He cleared his throat and gave her a curious look. "Do you have any tattoos?"

... _Oh no_ , her brain immediately started screaming. _Abort mission, abandon ship, do not pass go, do not collect $200_.

He must have noticed the sheer panic on her face and misinterpreted it as discomfort because he then said, "I only ask 'cause you seem to like them. Just... curious, I guess."

... _Crap crap crap_. She couldn't lie because she was the world's worst liar, so she decided to just cop to the truth but keep the details to herself. "I have one."

He arched one brow. "Just one?"

She nodded, blushing madly. "Just one." _Of your name,_ she added within the safety of her own mind _._

He seemed to think for a moment, contemplating whether to press for further information. "Where?"

She smiled shyly and looked away, shaking her head. "I... um... well... nowhere indecent, but... it's... personal." _Phew. There_. That should lay the issue to rest.

The corner of his lips twitched and he nodded, giving her the sort of look that tended to make her skin tingle. "All right."

She smiled back at him, hardly able to handle the way that she felt when she was under his gaze like that. The alcohol buzzing through her veins wasn't helping, and if they stayed there like that and kept chatting and kept drinking, there was no telling what she'd end up saying.

The clock on the oven told her that it was now 4:30 AM, much later than she had realized. She needed to be at the office in less than five hours. "Oh man," she sighed, leaning back in her seat. "I've gotta get to sleep. It's insanely late."

He nodded, and to her surprise, when she got up to start cleaning up the mess they'd made, he got up to help her. He put their dishes in the sink while she got the cookies into containers labeled with post-it notes bearing the names of their intended recipients, and when she got down to the last two dozen, she didn't hesitate to hand them over to Bucky.

"Here, since you liked them so much," she smiled as he took them. "You can freeze them and make them last longer, if you want."

"Thanks," he murmured, doing his little almost-smile thing again. "I can see why these things won an award."

She grinned back proudly, thanking him and, only a few moments later, heading back towards her room upstairs with Bucky at her side. They didn't talk as they made their way up, but the silence was a comfortable one. Summer felt the most peaceful that she had all day long, and a part of her wished that they didn't have to part ways once they reached her door. She wished that they could have a repeat of the night before, but she couldn't bring herself to ask for such a thing.

Instead, once she was standing outside of her room and Bucky had come to a halt as well, she took a breath and turned to face him. She only fidgeted for a few seconds before she opened her mouth to tell him something that she couldn't hold inside any longer. "Thank you again for everything you've done for me. For last night and this morning and... giving me someone to talk to tonight. I feel a lot better now than I did before, so... yeah. Thank you."

Before he could even begin to answer, she wound her arms around his neck and hugged him sweetly. He hesitated for only a second or two before he embraced her back, his warm, large arms curling around her and pulling her closer to his chest. The scent of her hair filled his nose again just as it had earlier that morning, and his arms felt even better around her than she remembered. Neither one of them wanted to pull away, but Summer finally did when she feared lingering too long and making things feel awkward.

When she drew away, her hands didn't leave him and his didn't leave her. Her palms rested on his shoulders and his were on her waist, much to her silent delight. She looked up into his striking blue eyes, her heart racing as they stood there so close to each other, hands on each other's bodies and minds only God knew where. She wanted desperately to close the distance between them, to kiss him and feel his lips on hers, just the very thought of such a thing making her feel a burst of electricity pulse through her veins, but she couldn't do it. She just couldn't. It could ruin everything and she wasn't willing to risk that.

She could, however, lean up and press a lingering kiss to his cheek, and that was exactly what she did. The little kiss took him by surprise, and after she pulled away, she smiled at him affectionately and murmured, "Goodnight, Bucky."

"... Night," he managed to reply hoarsely, staring at her almost similarly to how he'd eyed those cookies of hers after his very first bite. She simply smiled and bit her lip, disappearing through her door quickly so that he wouldn't see her blush and smile to herself like crazy.

But she missed him blushing as well. His cheeks heating up the moment her door clicked shut, he blinked a few times and then grinned to himself, turning and heading for his own room as he tried and failed to wipe that smile from his face the whole way there.

Leaning against her door with her hand over her wildly beating heart, Summer continued smiling like a moron and let out a deep, shaky breath. Her skin felt like it was on fire and her lips were tingling from the brief but potent contact upon his cheek, and she was flailing inside because she'd never felt _so much_ from so little before in her life.

... She'd never felt anything like what he made her feel, period. Everything was different with him, amplified and complicated and _intoxicating_ , and she realized in that moment more than any other just how absolutely screwed she was.

"Oh my God," she muttered to herself, still holding her hand over her fluttering heart and opening her eyes to stare off into the distance. "... Yep. I am completely and 100% fricked."

And very possibly, achingly slowly but undoubtably surely, falling a little bit in love with her husband.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: hey everyone! So this week I bring you a Thanksgiving-themed chapter! Woo for keeping up with current holidays! Lol :) I got this done jussssttt in time for Thursday - phew - and I hope you guys enjoy :D AND HAY LOOK, 400 REVIEWS AND COUNTING! That's amazing and I am SO SO SO SOOOOOO grateful for all of your lovely feedback and follows and faves. Whether you review every week or sometimes or never, if you're reading this you have my eternal thanks and a lifetime supply of e-hugs from me :D Also receiving a lifetime of thanks and eternal e-hugs from me is the awesome, amazing, irreplaceable midnightwings96 who continues to not only be the brains behind all the best ideas and scenes of this story but who also cowrote a VERY important part of dialogue in this chapter and helped me at every possible me turn during the writing of this chapter. She is amazing and so are all of you, and I look forward to hearing from you guys! See you all next week! :D**

"Are you sure that you're up for this?"

Taking a deep breath in through her nose and blowing it out through her lips, Summer nodded and fought the little voice in her head telling her to retreat as soon as possible. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm good."

"We can wait," Bucky reminded her, standing to her left and watching her cautiously. "Or... if you wanted, Natasha could do this with you instead."

Summer shook her head. While she was perfectly comfortable and even genuinely friendly with Natasha now, something about doing this with Bucky felt... right. Not to mention that while Natasha and a few notable others were undoubtedly excellent marksmen, Bucky was known for being the best.

And the new high-priority target of the Triad needed to be taught by the best.

"No," she decided, giving her final answer. "Let's just... get this over with."

He nodded. "Okay." Then he pulled out a handgun from a holster under his jacket and handed it to her.

Summer eyed the weapon with involuntary wariness and took it without a word. It felt heavy in her hands and it made the knots in her stomach twist tighter, but she was determined not to let her previous experience with a gun become an immovable obstacle on her journey to becoming trained in both combat and weapons. Being a true target now of her husband's enemies, she was more motivated than ever to learn how to protect herself. And that meant handling a gun again, even though it had only been a mere eight days since she'd shot a man dead inside the manor itself.

They were outside the manor, on the grounds outside. They'd followed a small trail into the surrounding woods that operated as a makeshift gun range, a clearing where Bucky and the others had trained and practiced over the years. And now it was Summer's turn.

"It's loaded?" Summer asked, keeping the gun pointed to the ground as she held it with both hands.

He nodded. "Mine are always loaded."

Summer glanced up at him and smiled humorlessly. "Comforting."

Expression unreadable, Bucky's eyes drifted back down to the gun in her hands. "You can keep that. You're gonna need to start carrying a gun with you on a regular basis."

Summer grimaced. "Happy early birthday to me."

He grimaced right back, just a little. "All right. Let's get started."

What followed was a brief but comprehensive verbal lesson in how to properly handle and shoot a gun, delivered from a man who had dropped more bodies than Summer could even begin to fathom. Summer knew the basics, of course, and had first fired a gun at the tender age of 14 thanks to her rifle-toting grandmother who was now deceased, but she appreciated the lesson nonetheless. Bucky's voice was comforting, his mere presence a balm as well, and she didn't mind standing out in the chilly fall weather and listening to what he had to say. In fact, it was making the entire exercise bearable.

Before her were a number of targets, some of which she knew she'd hit and others she knew she wouldn't. Bucky could probably hit them all win his eyes shut, of course, but she was going to require a lot more practice to reach even intermediate skill levels.

He instructed her to shoot at her first target, which was a fairly large old can sitting on top of a tree stump a number of yards away. It was the easiest one to hit, and Summer was confident that she'd hit it on the first try. Taking a breath, she cocked the gun and hesitated before putting her finger on the trigger, trying to shake off the instant reminder of the last time she'd fired a gun. Then she exhaled and took the shot.

And missed, rather spectacularly.

"... Seriously?" she groaned as she lowered the gun and Bucky moved to step behind her, hesitating as he eyed her posture and took a breath himself.

"You need to loosen up a little," he said, cautiously bringing his hands to her shoulders and rolling them back. She shivered a little, and it wasn't due to the cool November air. "And stand up straight, square your shoulders." He paused. "Like you do when you're all dressed up."

She paused, eyeing his hands as they lingered on her shoulders. "... I do?"

"Yeah." He cleared his throat then, having uttered that word a bit more lowly than he'd intended. "Widen your stance a little. Bend your knees." She did as he said, then found it a little harder to breathe when his one of his hands left her shoulders to slide to her wrist, gently shifting it as he murmured, "Don't hold it so tight. You want to hold it firmly but not in a death grip."

He then began to rearrange her hands for her, placing them in the proper hold on the handgun, and Summer couldn't ignore her instant reactions to being so close to him and being touched by him, even in a completely innocent way. She suddenly felt the urge to say something to break the tension, and she blurted out the first words that sprang to her mind. "... That's what she said." Then she paused and felt her face redden. "Well, I guess _he_ would say that. Because... 'don't hold it so tight'..."

She turned her head and glanced up to find Bucky eyeing her with a mixture of amusement and incredulity. He was also _very_ close to her, so she bit her lip and looked away, muttering a quiet apology. He forced himself not to smile and cleared his throat again, returning his full attention to the task at hand.

"So," he said, "like I said, hold it firmly but not too tight. In this hold you control the gun and have the best chance at an accurate shot. You always want to have a two-hand hold when you're able to. Gives you the best control. Now try again, like this. And don't yank the trigger. Squeeze it, gently."

"... Do you have any idea how much I wanna say _that's what he said_ again?"

This time he couldn't help but smile a little. But he quickly schooled his features and said, "This is serious, Summer. Focus."

"Right," she nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yes, sir."

She said that in a teasing, innocent sort of way, and yet Bucky felt as if she'd just lit a fire at the base of his spine that licked its way up to his head and made him feel like they were standing in the middle of 80-degree weather. He still hand a hand on her shoulder and was standing so incredibly close to her that neither of them could ignore it, but before he could step away, she was preparing to shoot again.

She fired the gun again, and this time she hit her target and sent it flying off the tree stump. She blinked and then broke into a smile, lowering the gun and turning her head to grin up at him proudly. "I did it!"

He grinned back a little, nodding and stepping away from her but remaining at her side. "Good job. Now remember everything I said and try again. Aim for that smaller can over there."

She did as she said, missing his warmth as she adjusted her stance, focused, aimed and fired. She missed the target, but then she tried again and hit it. Then she grinned at Bucky again and he gave her a small but proud smile, and she continued the training session feeling much more confident in herself. She did well with his instructions, gaining more control over the gun as she went along and growing more comfortable with the act of handling it. She hoped that she never had to shoot the gun in a non-training scenario, but at the very least, she was fairly confident that she would become proficient with enough further training exercises.

Once she'd competed all the tasks that Bucky laid out for her, he brought the session to an end and took the gun from her and holstered it, telling her that he'd instruct Natasha to get her a holster of her own so that she could carry it on a regular basis. Then they were heading back to the manor, Summer's hands in the pockets of her coat and Bucky's at his sides as they followed the trail out of the woods.

"So," Summer said to break the brief silence that had fallen over them as they walked, "is this gonna be a regular thing? Do I need to practice this as often as I practice with Natasha?"

"Not as often but yes," he affirmed with a nod. "You need to practice until handling a gun is second nature."

"... Fun," she sighed. "That's what she says about the hand to hand stuff. That I gotta keep at it until it's second nature."

"She's right," Bucky replied. "Because if you're ever in a situation where you need to fight someone or draw your weapon, you have to be able to react immediately. Your instincts have to be sharp and quick. If they're not, you're dead."

Summer forced a smile and sighed as she turned her eyes to the ground. "You're just full of comforting words today."

"Sorry," he muttered. "M'not gonna sugarcoat it. But for what it's worth," he added, eyes flickering to hers, "your instincts have already served you well. They're good. You should trust them."

Knowing that he wasn't one to say anything he didn't mean, Summer nodded and flushed a little before looking away, back to the trail under their feet. A moment or two passed and in an effort to make pleasant conversation that didn't involve guns or potential attacks, Summer looked up and said, "So... Thanksgiving's coming up. Just a few more days. I hear it's a big deal around here."

Bucky sighed and nodded. "Yeah."

"Does the staff do all the cooking?" she asked, determined to keep the small talk going.

"Some," he shrugged. "Frieda cooks the turkey. Aemilia's made a couple pies the last few years. Thor has a sweet potato thing that he does."

She grinned. "Really? Is everything pretty traditional or is there like... Russian-infused stuff, too?"

"S'pretty traditional," he replied. "Not too different from when I was a kid. Just more vodka."

She snickered at that. "Yeah... Thanksgiving was always a big event growing up. I can't really remember what my mom used to do with it, but Lizzie goes crazy every year. Starts cooking the day before and makes like four different pies. She would even make a ham for my dad and a few side dishes with stuff that me and her can't eat, that's how committed she was to making sure we could all pig out." Bucky glanced at her in mild confusion for a moment, and she raised an eyebrow and said, "You _do_ know I'm Jewish, right?"

He blinked. "You are?"

She smiled and chuckled, chiding him, "You were sitting right there during that first dinner where I told Aemilia and Frieda how Lizzie was a friend of my mom's and met her at a synagogue when I was little."

"Oh," he said, blinking and obviously not remembering that conversation very clearly. "Right. So... you don't do Christmas then?"

"I do," she replied with a smile, happy that he was again taking an interest in getting to know her better. "My dad's Catholic, so we did Hanukkah _and_ Christmas growing up. I was the envy of all my friends, getting presents basically nonstop through December. Neither of my grandmas were happy about that - my Jewish one thought we were compromising and my Catholic one would always give us framed pictures of Jesus as Hanukkah gifts every year." She shrugged at Bucky's alarmed expression and laughed. "But we all got along and it was always a lot of fun. I'd like to do that with my own kids someday."

She suddenly paused and realized what she'd just said and _whom_ she'd said it to. Mentioning potential future children with a husband she hadn't even kissed yet was definitely something she hadn't meant to do, and he saw the brief flicker of panic on her face before she managed to wipe it away and smile nervously instead.

Then she changed the subject as quickly as she could. "So, uh... what about you? Are you... anything? Ever... go to church, or...?"

"... Not in years," he admitted, looking away. They had cleared the woods now and were making their way back to the manor. "My parents took us to church when we were kids, but..."

"Us?" Summer repeated curiously. As soon as the word left her mouth, Bucky paused and clenched his jaw like he'd just let something slip that he wished he hadn't.

"I had a little sister," he explained after a long pause, unable to look her in the eye as he spoke. The tone of his voice and his use of past-tense left no room for doubt that this sister of his was long since deceased.

"Oh," Summer said quietly and gently. "I'm sorry." He had no parents, no family, no living siblings, but he clearly once had. What in the world had _happened_ to his family? Her mind could run wild with speculation for days, but nobody would answer her questions out of respect for him and she knew he wasn't ready to answer them himself. So she refrained from asking about what had happened and simply asked, "What was her name?"

"Rebecca," Bucky replied quietly, the name sounding a bit strange on his lips as if he hadn't spoken it in years. For all she knew, maybe he hadn't.

"Do you remember her well?" Summer asked. He nodded and finally met her gaze again, and she explained, "I barely remember my brother. I was three when he died, and really all that I can remember of him was the car accident. It sucks. That's actually the first clear memory I have of my whole life. Watching a giant semi crash into us headfirst."

"Jesus," Bucky muttered, brows knitting as he looked at her. "How did _you_ survive?"

"... I have no idea," Summer admitted. "My brother, Paul, he didn't have his seatbelt on. My dad says he used to take it off all the time and they always yelled at him over it. He went through the windshield died at the scene. My mom hung on for a little while, had a couple surgeries but didn't make it a week. My dad was in a coma for two weeks. He woke up to pretty much the worst news imaginable. It broke him. He never quite recovered." She paused. "I came out of it with just a couple bruises. I don't remember anything that happened after. Just the accident itself."

"... I'm sorry," he said quietly, again turning his eyes from hers.

"It was a long time ago," she replied with a small, sad smile. "But thank you. And... I'm sorry too. I really have no idea what you've been through, but... I know what it's like to lose people and... it never stops being hard."

They shared a meaningful look, Bucky still looking slightly uncomfortable with the talk but also appreciative of her words. She offered him what she hoped was an understanding smile just before she realized that they were standing in front of the back entrance to the manor. She chuckled and said, "Oh. We're back. I didn't even notice. Well, um... sorry for all the depressing talk."

"It's all right," he assured her, opening the door and letting her walk inside first.

Once they were walking side by side through the corridor, Summer asked, "So... where to now? Any important mob... things to do today?"

She saw the corner of his mouth twitch in amusement at that. "Not yet. More coffee first."

"Oh, okay. I was thinking the same thing, actually," she smiled, and just like that, they had a sort-of coffee date in the kitchens.

But nothing ever went quite as planned in the manor, and once they reached the kitchen and turned the corner to where the plethora of coffee contraptions were, they were immediately halted by a sight that they had _not_ been expecting.

Lukas and Aemilia were there and in the midst of a previously rather private moment. Aemilia was sitting on the island next to the counters with her legs wound around Lukas' hips, clothes askew and lips locked with his in a furious kiss as they attempted to devour one another. Her hands were under Lukas' shirt and grasping at his back, and Lukas' were quite clearly under her short dress and on her hips. Just a moment or two more and Bucky and Summer might have walked in on something quite a bit more substantial.

Summer froze and squeaked in embarrassment, slapping a hand over her mouth to try to stifle the sound. Bucky, however, merely raised an eyebrow and moved in front of the coffeemaker he favored, offering a casual, "Lukas."

Lukas broke away from Aemilia at that point, noticing the intruders for the first time. Aemilia blushed and waved shyly at Summer, burying her flushed face in Lukas' neck, and Lukas merely grinned at the other two present and said, "Ah, our apologies. Don't mind us."

"Didn't plan on it," Bucky said, stepping around the island that Aemilia was perched on to grab a mug. He then returned to the coffeemaker, and Aemilia giggled and Lukas started kissing down her neck like nobody was even there.

Summer, meanwhile, was frozen where she stood and staring at the bizarre scene with hilariously wide eyes. Lukas and Aemilia were literally eating each other alive on the kitchen island and carrying on like they were alone while Bucky grabbed a cup of coffee and Summer watched in a bewildered daze.

Was this... a normal thing around here?

"Oh, did you hear back from Daniels yet?" Bucky asked Lukas over his shoulder, pouring the coffee.

Lukas broke away again just long enough to reply, "No, he won't have his report ready until tomorrow morning. He'll be at the board meeting tomorrow to discuss it there."

"Lazy fucker," Bucky grumbled, turning to leave the kitchen. "Thanks."

"No problem," Lukas grinned, sliding his hand further up Aemilia's dress and earning a cute little squeak from her.

Bucky thrusted a second cup of coffee into Summer's hands. She grasped the mug dumbly, eyes still stuck on the couple in front of her and feet still rooted firmly to the floor. She watched with her mouth hanging open until Bucky stopped and went back for her, tugging her out of the kitchen and away from the couple before she unwittingly became a witness to much less innocent activities.

Following him back down the hallway, Summer blinked a few times and asked, "What the frick did I just see?"

"Something I guarantee you'll see more than once," Bucky replied, tone bored. "They have no self-control. It's not a new development."

"Oh," she muttered, cheeks ablaze. She was pretty sure that she'd heard Lukas _moan_ a little as Bucky had dragged her away, and _dammit_ she was far too sexually frustrated to handle this. She was so befuddled that she ended up following Bucky back to his room for no apparent reason, and when he opened his door and turned to look at her in curious confusion, he asked, "Did you need something else, or..."

Yes, _yes_ , she certainly did need _something_ else, but she sure as hell wasn't about to go down _that_ road. "Oh! No," she said, flushing even more brightly with embarrassment. "No, um... sorry. I don't know why I followed you here. I think my brain broke a little back there. Um... yeah. I'll leave you alone now. Thanks for all the gun stuff. And the coffee."

He nodded and allowed himself a small smile, clearly very much amused with her. "No problem."

She smiled and waved awkwardly as she stepped back, finally turning around and cringing as she walked away. She marched back down the hallway and bypassed her room, planning on finding Lizzie wherever she was when she turned a corner and smacked into Scott, nearly spilling her coffee on him and just barely avoiding doing so.

"Oh God," Scott half-exclaimed, holding up his hands in apology after the collision. "I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," she assured him with a sigh. "I wasn't really watching where I was going."

"Yeah, me neither. I went to the kitchen to grab a snack and I'm pretty sure I'll never unsee what I just saw."

Summer's eyes widened. "You walked in on them too?!"

" _Yeah_ , and let's just say that I'm pretty sure there was some real... um... _acts_ happening, just judging by his... hand placement and... arm movements... things like that," he stuttered, face reddening brightly enough to give Summer a run for her money. " _Wow_. So yeah. Guess I'll never be able to look at either of them in the eye ever again."

"Me and Bucky walked in on them and he just... got us both coffee and talked to Lukas like nothing was even happening," Summer said with still-wide eyes. "Like... I guess this is kind of... normal for them? I don't even know. I'm still dead."

"Me too," Scott agreed, running a hand through his hair. "I mean, they're beautiful."

" _Yeah_ ," Summer marveled. "Like... they're perfect."

"She's absolutely stunning," Scott opined, "and Lukas, look - I'm pretty much as straight as they come, but I'm just saying, if the day ever came where he asked, I'd totally let him _Brokeback Mountain_ me into the next century. And I'm not ashamed of that, by the way."

As Summer stared at Scott and found herself quite incapable of composing any sort of coherent reply to that, the sound of giggling coming from the staircase stole their attentions. Both Scott and Summer turned to find Lukas and Aemilia hurrying up the stairs and towards their rooms, oblivious to the world and kissing and groping each other the whole way there. Then they disappeared behind their door, and as soon as it slammed shut, their audience of two looked away and groaned at the same time.

" _Man_ , I need to get laid," Scott sighed.

"Me too," Summer whined, wanting to bang her head into the nearest wall in excruciating frustration. Then they looked at each other, and Scott vocalized what they were both thinking.

"You know, if you weren't married, we'd be able to help each other out," he noted, frowning.

"Yeah... but I _am_ married," she shrugged.

"Yeah... well," he sighed. "I'll just go to my room and... I probably don't need to finish that sentence."

"You don't," she confirmed, heading back to her own door. "Have fun. Don't hurt yourself."

"Oh, I won't. You too," he replied. "Or at least don't ruin all your pillows. I know how much you like those things."

She choked on the sip of coffee that she had unfortunately decided to take just then, turning back towards him and hissing, " _Shut up_!"

He shrugged innocently, walking backwards towards the other end of the hall. "What? I've got a really vivid memory, okay? Can you blame me?"

"Yes, I can," she said, giving him the best stink-eye that she could manage before opening her door and throwing herself inside her room, slamming the door shut behind her and groaning in immense embarrassment and frustration the minute she was alone.

One of these days, she was simply going to explode and die in a fiery blaze of glory - and by glory she meant humiliation, frustration, and and the universe's unbearable penchant for making things as hard as possible for her. It really was getting ridiculous at this point, so much so that spontaneous combustion didn't sound like such a far-fetched possibility anymore.

Oh well, she thought as she drained half of her coffee and eyed her bed only a number of yards away. At least she'd always have pillows.

* * *

Thanksgiving at the manor was, as Summer had heard, indeed quite the lavish affair. It wasn't decadent and dripping in diamonds and gold the way that other events were, instead adopting a much more home-y and comfortable approach to the holiday, but it was no less extravagant for the simplicity involved. Frieda and Aemilia turned the manor into an autumn paradise each time turkey day rolled around, and this time they drafted Summer and Lizzie to help in their preparations.

Most of the staff was allowed to go home and spend the holiday with their families, so most of the cooking and decorating duties fell to the residents themselves. The women weren't the only ones to do the work, however, as Thor was quite happy to help and indeed looked forward to doing so each year, and Pietro - Frieda's official, honest to God new _boyfriend_ , much to Lukas' chagrin - was put to work as well. He was in charge of hauling an ungodly amount of pumpkins to the manor and placing them where Frieda wanted them, and Thor was given a very large and very specific list of groceries to buy in town and bring back in time for the holiday. Then once everything was in place, the cooking began - full day before the holiday itself.

It was a lovely exercise in female bonding, as Frieda and Lizzie compared their "cougar" experiences - Frieda won by default, since her "prey" was literally half her age and Lizzie's was only 5 years her junior - and Summer and Aemilia giggled and talked over the rather arduous act of pie crust-making. Bucky was gone a lot during those couple of days, doing only God knows what, and Lukas was extremely busy as well trying to close a deal with a Ukrainian company that was hanging by a thread. But by the time that the day finally came, the whole family came together and everything thankfully went off without a hitch.

Summer invited her father to come over, but he declined her offer and said he'd be spending the day at one of his friend's homes instead. She wasn't surprised by his refusal to come but it saddened her nonetheless, since she was used to spending her holidays with both him and Lizzie. But it looked like this year, she'd be gorging herself on stuffing and pumpkin pie with her new family.

Dinner was served at 5 on the dot, and it was quite the loud and noisy affair as everybody piled into the dining room. Thor and his booming voice was enough to cause a ruckus but Sam proved to be rather loud too, along with Pietro and a very excited - and absolutely starving - Aemilia. Wanda, Bruce and Natasha made up the slightly quieter block, and Steve fell somewhere in the middle along with Clint, whom he'd brought along at Natasha's request.

Bucky was, of course, one of the most quiet folks in the room. He and Lukas spoke as Summer stayed close to Aemilia's side out of habit and looked around, checking if the whole gang was there yet. The table was almost full but not quite, and she realized who was missing when they came strolling into the dining room - with an extra guest in tow.

Scott walked in with a big smile on his face and was greeted by Lukas first as the little girl at his side looked around the room curiously, eyes huge as she took in the sheer size of the dining room and the table itself. Then her big brown eyes landed on Summer, standing just next to the table, and she quickly dropped her father's hand and went running to Summer with a big toothy smile on her face.

Summer's face lit up and she opened her arms in preparation for the incoming attack, exclaiming, "Oh my God, Cassie!"

"Summer!" she squealed happily, barreling into Summer's waiting arms and giving her a hug that melted her heart.

Summer scooped her up and squeezed her back, then pulled away to look her over and marvel, "Look at you - you're so big! How old are you now?"

"I'm 8!" Cassie exclaimed proudly.

"8?! Oh my God, you're growing up so fast," Summer lamented. "I haven't seen you in forever! I didn't think you'd remember me."

" _Duh_ I remember you!" Cassie said with another flash of her adorable little smile. "You threw up on my teddy bear when my daddy took us to the carnival, remember?"

Summer cringed. "...Yeah, I guess that _would_ make me pretty memorable. Hey, have you met Aemilia yet?" She asked, turning them around so that they faced the woman in question.

Aemilia immediately smiled widely and said, "I don't believe she has! Is this the famous little Cassie Lang?" Cassie blushed and Aemilia added with a growing smile, "I've heard so much about you from your daddy! And you're even cuter in person."

"You have pretty hair," Cassie told her shyly.

"Oh, thank you," Aemilia smiled, briefly touching her auburn curls. "So do you."

Cassie grinned back and then Scott interrupted, appearing at Summer's side and saying, "Wow, Peanut, it didn't take you long to ditch me, did it?"

Summer and Cassie both giggled in reply, Summer shrugging, "Well, I _am_ way cooler than you."

Scott scoffed and briefly tickled his daughter's side, making her erupt into breathless giggles that stole Bucky's attention from across the room.

Still standing next to Lukas and Steve and nursing a pre-dinner glass of whiskey - because why not - Bucky followed the sound of happy childish giggles to where Summer stood holding an adorable little girl and was laughing with her. While he hadn't seen the child before, it was obvious that she was Scott's kid, Cassie if he remembered correctly. It was also obvious that the kid already knew Summer pretty well, and that the three of them had shared a decent amount of time together during Summer and Scott's previous relationship.

And just like that, Bucky's previously bearable mood soured in an instant. He could hardly put into words just how much he disliked seeing the easy, natural dynamic between his wife and her ex and his daughter. To any stranger they could have passed as a happy little family, Summer completely comfortable in Scott's presence and not a trace of tension anywhere to be seen in her posture or on her features. This was Bucky's first time seeing her with a child, too, and she clearly had a great affection for Cassie. She seemed so in her element and at complete ease that it took him by surprise, because he'd never seen her so comfortable in _any_ situation before.

"You know," Steve said, clearing his throat next to Bucky's ear, "green's not your color."

Bucky's eyes flickered to Steve, visibly unimpressed. "Remind me why I bothered to invite you?"

Steve chuckled and patted Bucky's shoulder. "Because we've been spending holidays together since we were what... six?"

"Five," Bucky muttered, taking another drink of whiskey and again glancing Summer's way. She'd set Cassie down by now, and Scott had said something that made her let out a full-bodied, carefree laugh. His jaw clenched and Steve, of course, noticed.

"I thought things were going better between you two," Steve said. "You said she made cookies and you guys talked all night."

"Do mine ears deceive me?" Lukas suddenly interjected, throwing both of his arms around Steve and Bucky and grinning quite mischievously. "You, Captain Grumpypants, told him, Captain..." Lukas eyed Steve, SHIELD agent and goody-two shoe extraordinaire, and decided, "... America, and told him about your exciting night of excessive cookie consumption with your beautiful wife? What else do you girls discuss? Pedicures? One Direction? Which sorts of vibrators _really_ hit the spot?"

"There are _kids_ here," Steve hissed, ducking out from under Lukas' arm and shooting him a highly disapproving glare.

Lukas rolled his eyes and kept his other arm draped over Bucky's shoulders. "There is exactly _one_ child present. Unless you count the fetus my mother is currently dating," he grumbled. "But I digress. Tell me, Agent - what sort of unmentionable things lurk in your bedside drawer?"

Steve groaned and retorted, "What's in _yours_?"

Lukas chuckled and replied, "Oh, wouldn't you like to know. But I'll give you a hint - some are rather large and and may or may not include several adjustable straps."

At that, Steve's eyes widened fractionally and his cheeks flushed rather brightly. He muttered something under his breath abut never being able to unsee what he'd just imagined in his head before walking off, and Lukas laughed and patted Bucky's shoulder in victory. "That will _never_ stop being fun."

Bucky, who was making a bit of a face, glanced at Lukas and asked, "Were you just fucking with him, or..."

Lukas rolled his eyes. "James, it's _me_. What do _you_ think?"

Bucky turned away, glancing at Aemilia and sighing before murmuring, "All right then." He then paused, furrowed his brows and turned back to Lukas and asked, "But _why_?"

"Don't knock it if you haven't tried it," Lukas replied, giving him another pat. Then, before he could further give unwanted details to his friend, Frieda called the group to order and announced that it was time to sit down and eat. Thor had turkey-carving duty, so he grabbed the necessary instruments as everyone took their seats around the big, feast-laden table.

Bucky and Frieda, as usual, sat at the two heads of the table. Pietro, Lukas, Aemilia, and Thor sat closest to her, while Summer took her usual seat at Bucky's left hand and Steve sat to his right. Clint and Natasha, meanwhile, sat next to Steve, and Lizzie and Tony took Summer's other side. The rest of the table was filled in with the others - Sam, Wanda, Scott, Cassie - and they all waited impatiently as Thor started carving the turkey with painstaking care and precision.

"Brother," Lukas said after five full minutes had passed, "I thought you said you knew how to carve a turkey."

Brow furrowed in annoyance, Thor muttered, "I said how hard could it be?"

Lukas groaned and rolled his eyes. "Why don't you give me the knife? Clearly I'm the better carver."

Thor grumbled something in response, and then Pietro piped up, "I could try, if you don't mind?"

Lukas immediately fixed the annoying little bartender with a glare, but Thor paused before smiling and handing the utensils over. "It's all yours!" he announced, and Pietro thanked him before proceeding to carve the turkey with surprising skill. He was also quite quick about it as well, much to the table's delight.

"I shouldn't be surprised," Frieda mused, grinning up at her boy toy. "You _are_ rather good with your hands."

Lukas threw up a little in his mouth. He then glanced at Wanda across the table and asked, "Why on Earth didn't you strangle him in the womb?"

She smiled and shrugged. "I probably tried. He _was_ born with the cord around his neck."

"Yes, my own sister," Pietro lamented, still cutting the meat, "trying to kill me before we were even born. And she's never stopped!"

"Well with any luck, one of these days she'll succeed," Lukas sighed as Aemilia chuckled and comfortingly patted his leg.

"Now, now, behave," Frieda chided. "Let's remember, we have a few new members of the family this year, and I want them to enjoy this dinner and feel at home."

Summer and Lizzie, the new members she was referring to, smiled in response to Frieda's words. Then, as all the folks at the table began to load up on all the delicious food present, Frieda explained, "We have a bit of a tradition here at Thanksgiving. Every year we go around the table and share with the family what we're thankful for. You don't _have_ to if you don't want to, of course," she said, eyeing Summer as she said that, clearly well aware of her shyness. "But it's one of my favorite parts of any holiday, and the more people who participate, the better."

 _Oh man_ , Summer immediately thought, finishing shoveling on as much stuffing to her plate as it could hold. Talking in front of people was hard enough, but saying what she was thankful for in front of _these_ particular people? More specifically, in front of her husband?

Great. Mentally formulating what she planned to say, the wheels in Summer's head turned rapidly as Frieda broke the ice by going first.

"I'm thankful for my family," Frieda said, smiling at her sons and her daughter in law. "I have the best sons that a mother could ask for, and the very _best_ daughter in law. I'm also thankful that this time next year, there will be a little baby girl or boy for me to spoil utterly rotten." Aemilia and Lukas grinned and laughed excitedly at that, and then Frieda turned to Pietro. "I'm also thankful to have found a wonderful companion in a most unexpected place." They shared a smile and then she looked to the rest of the table. "And of course, I'm thankful for every person at this table, especially our new additions. I hope that each of us sitting here together today are able to come together every year and do this again and again."

And on that poignant note, Frieda yielded the floor to Lukas. He grinned and took a drink of his glass of fine red wine before making his own little speech. "Well, not to repeat what was already said, but I am obviously most thankful for my family - my wonderful mother and even my annoying oaf of a brother," he said, making Thor laugh. "And my beautiful, exquisite, irreplaceable wife and our little one on the way. I can hardly believe how truly lucky I am." Then, after sharing a sweet smile with Aemilia, he glanced down the table and said, "I'm also thankful for all of you pathetic imbeciles." As expected, there was a mixture of laughter and good-natured jeers in response, and Lukas laughed and added, "I jest, I jest! Well, except for _you_ , Rogers. It's a rather fitting title for you."

Steve rolled his eyes. "Thanks, I appreciate it."

"You're very welcome," Lukas grinned. "And in closing... I'm thankful for another year spent in the company of my best friend, regardless of how grumpy and ridiculous he is." Bucky looked up and cracked a smile along with Lukas, who then finished with, "I'm also very happy to have a few new faces with us this year. It's nice to no longer be the only husband around here."

Summer smiled and blushed a little, glancing at Bucky briefly before looking away and returning to stuffing her face. Then Lukas added, "I am also extremely happy to be alive and here tonight, which... would not be the case if not for you, Summer, so thank you." Summer's heart melted at that point into a big massive pile of goo, and it took all of her self-control to not burst into tears on the spot. Then it was Aemilia's turn.

"Oh my... after all of that I'm going to sound like a broken record," she chuckled. "Well, let's see... I am incredibly thankful for my family and friends, all of you. You, Lukas," she smiled at him, "for being absolutely amazing to me no matter what we're facing. Frieda, for being more of a mother to me than my own ever was. Thor, for being the big brother I never had." She smiled and then glanced down at her belly and said, "Of course, I might be most thankful for this little creature that I get to meet in another five months." She shared a smile with Lukas and then looked at Bucky next. "I'm also thankful for my closest friends. Life wouldn't be the same or nearly as good without you." Bucky smiled and nodded to her once, and then she turned her eyes to Summer. "That includes you too, darling. I wish the circumstances that brought you here were different, but it already feels strange to imagine a time where you _weren't_ here with us. I'm very happy to call you my friend, and your bravery and kindness is something both Lukas and I are forever indebted to you for."

Tears suddenly clouding her vision, Summer soaked up those unexpectedly touching words and swallowed a mouthful of turkey along with an emotional lump in her throat. Aemilia smiled sweetly at her and then handed the spotlight over to Thor, and Summer felt incredibly warm and genuinely at home as she listened to the next round of grateful speeches.

Thor went next, making everyone laugh and say _aww_ over his humorous and touching words for his friends and family. Then it was Sam's turn, and he echoed Lukas' sentiments in being grateful to be alive and being with his closest friends. After him, it was Scott's turn, and as usual, he didn't fail to entertain.

"Well," he said with a deep breath, looking around the table, "obviously I'm thankful to be here sitting at a table with you lovely folks instead of spending another Thanksgiving in a jail cell. Last year they fed us canned turkey, which I can assure all of you is a lot less tasty than this." He held up a piece of turkey for emphasis. "By the way, my compliments to the chef."

Frieda nodded and smiled. "Why thank you, Scott."

He smiled back and then went on, "Most of all I'm thankful that I get to spend time with my little Peanut again." He put his arm around Cassie, sitting next to him and chowing on a bread roll, and she giggled in response. Scott then looked at Bucky and added sincerely, "So... thank you, Boss, for working your mob magic and getting me out early."

Bucky nodded back to him, and Summer smiled at the little exchange. Then Scott told Cassie it was her turn, and she looked at Bucky and asked her daddy curiously, "He got you out of jail?"

"That's right," Scott replied. Then Cassie surprised everyone by tossing down her piece of bread and hopping down from her seat, running over to the head of the table where Bucky sat looking a bit like a deer in headlights.

Summer watched with a huge smile on her face as Cassie literally threw herself at Bucky and gave him an enormous hug. He sat there wide-eyed with his arms awkwardly hovering over the child, expression alarmed and mildly panicked, and then Cassie pulled away and exclaimed, "Thank you for giving me back my daddy!"

She then ran back to her seat, and as the entire table melted and died of an acute case of unbearable cuteness, Bucky stared after the little girl and couldn't help but smile. He glanced at Steve first and then Summer, who was all but beaming at him. His own smile grew before he looked away, clearly trying to hide just how much he himself had also melted.

Next in line was Tony, who said, "Well, that's an impossible act to follow. I think I just spontaneously grew a few new cavities." He winked at Cassie and she smiled back, and then he added, "Well, let's see. As always I'm thankful to be a part of this crazy family. Never a dull moment here, that's for sure. And it definitely beats rattling around a lab by myself all the time. Also super thankful for the new faces around here, especially the incredibly gorgeous one sitting next to me."

Lizzie grinned and batted her lashes at Tony, who grinned back and tossed an arm over the back of her chair as she said, "Again with the sweet talk, huh?"

"Always," he nodded. "But yeah, that about sums it up. Oh, also super _duper_ happy about your new relationship, Ms. Orlov, because if there's one thing I like to see it's Lukas squirming uncomfortably."

Lukas narrowed his eyes and shot back, "You know, Stark, I have a very explicit retort to that statement that I cannot share due to the child in our midst, but I'm sure that you can imagine what it is."

"... I've got a pretty good guess, yeah," Tony replied. "Although my question back to that would be why you have to constantly bring _that_ up."

Lukas shrugged incredulously. "Well... why not?"

Summer furrowed her brows and leaned in closer to Lizzie. "What the heck are they talking about?"

"Hell if I know," Lizzie shrugged. "Do you ever think sometimes that there's a weird sexual tension between the two of them?"

Summer shrugged. "Lukas has a weird sexual tension with everyone. I think it's kind of his thing."

"... Huh. Yeah, you're right," Lizzie decided. "Must be exhausting."

After Tony and Lukas finished their squabble, Lizzie had the floor. She belatedly realized it was her turn and quickly swallowed an enormous mouthful of food, smiling and taking a drink and then saying, "Oh boy. Okay. So... _wow_ , where to even start. Well... this year hasn't been the best for me, obviously. It's not every day that your marriage falls apart for good at the exact same moment that you find out your daughter got sold to the mob, but... that's what happened to me. And yet the weird thing is, I think I'm happier now than I've been in a _really_ long time."

Summer smiled at Lizzie and they shared a look as she added, "I'm _not_ grateful for _how_ we both got here, and I hate that you've been through so much since this all happened. But... I _am_ thankful for the strength and resilience that you've shown through it all, and for the support of everyone in this room." She looked towards the rest of the table and said, "I honestly came here expecting you guys to all be a bunch of creepy psychopaths, but instead you're all really, _really_ great. And I'm _very_ thankful for that. None of this is ideal, but... it's not the fault of anyone in this room. And each of you has welcomed us into the fold and protected my little girl when she needed it, so... that's what I'm thankful for, most of all."

If Tony had found Cassie to be a hard act to follow, Summer was mildly terrified to take the spotlight after all of _that_. She shared a brief and warm side-hug with Lizzie before taking a deep breath and sort of wanting to die as all eyes focused on her. She'd rather speak to a room full of several hundred strangers than do _this_ , but she didn't want to chicken out either. After a few moments spent dying inside, she raked her hair behind her ears and decided to just wing it.

"All right, so... just... fair warning, I'm about to have an anxiety attack over having to do this, but..."

"You don't have to, dear," Frieda assured her. "The last thing I want is for you to be uncomfortable."

"No, it's okay," Summer insisted. "I'm fine. Well, not really, but I'm gonna do it anyway. So first of all... um... well, I'm thankful to be alive. I've had my life flash before my eyes more times in the last few months than I thought I ever would, but... that's... life, I guess. I'm thankful for all of you," she smiled. "Literally, each and every one of you. Aemilia, Lukas, Frieda... you're all amazing and some of the best people I've ever met. Sam... my God, Sam, you've been amazing since the day I met you, and you took a bullet for me. That's not a debt I can ever pay back. Scott, Cassie, you're both amazing and I hope I always have you guys in my life. Tony, I'm glad you're here and that you're making my mom happy. She deserves it more than I can even say. And Mom, thank you for standing by me no matter what and being my rock. I have no idea where or what I'd be without you."

That covered Summer's entire side of the table, which meant when she turned her head to her right, her eyes met those of her husband. She immediately paused and blushed, anxiety coming back threefold under his quiet, curious gaze. He wasn't eating or drinking, instead listening intently to her words and anticipating what would come next.

There was no time to think before she spoke. She could only speak from her heart, and that was what she did.

"... And I'm thankful," she began quietly, so much so that Frieda at the other end of the table could hardly hear her, "that I have a... a husband who, um... who's loyal and... extremely protective and... someone who I know I can trust. I didn't at first but... I do now. And I'm thankful," she said, meeting his gaze again, "for everything you've done for me. _Everything_."

He understood exactly what she meant. She smiled and he did too, tight and small but sincere, and she looked away as a furious blush covered her cheeks. She then took a deep breath and chuckled, "Okay, there. I'm done. I did it. Yay."

Summer laughed as she received a brief round of applause, and she grabbed her wine and took a very healthy sip as she enjoyed the relief of her little speech finally being over. Then the table fell silent again as the next person in line paused and began to carefully gather his words in preparation.

Nobody said a word despite how long it took for him to speak, because they all knew that this sort of thing was not his usual forte. But eventually, after a few moments, Bucky opened his mouth and began to speak at last.

"As you all know, I'm not really... one for words," he began quietly. "But, uh... I'm thankful for all of you. Each and everyone of you are an integral part of this team, and we wouldn't be able to function without you. And we're not just a team. We're a family, and I couldn't be more grateful, because for a long time I didn't think I'd ever find another one. Nat," he turned to his former lover, sitting next to her current maybe-boyfriend, "you've not only become a good friend, but an irreplaceable partner." Natasha smiled and slightly nodded in acknowledgment, the warmth in her eyes giving away how mutual the feeling was. Then Bucky turned to his oldest and best friend, sitting at his right hand.

"Steve, we've been through more together than anyone should ever have to endure, but... through all that, you became my brother in every sense of the word. I'm grateful that we're still in each others lives, despite our... different career paths." He smiled, and Steve smiled back. It made Summer smile a little too, because the bond between those two men was incredibly clear and plain to see. A high ranking government official and a Bratva Captain being best friends seemed unlikely at best, but yet here they were.

Then Bucky moved on to his _other_ best friend. "Lukas, even when you annoy the fu-" he glanced at Cassie and immediately revised, " _hell_ out of me, I'm thankful to have you as a best friend. And... because of you finding your better half - and I mean that - I've found a sister. I'm thankful you guys are gonna have a kid. You more than deserve it."

Then Bucky turned to Summer, and she was sure that her heart stopped as he looked her in the eye and spoke. "And Summer... even though I didn't realize it for a long time... and I was... horrible to you in the beginning... I'm thankful you're here. I never would have chosen this for you or allowed it to happen if I'd had a say in it, but... if it had to be anyone, I'm glad it was you. "

And that was by far the single most touching and heart-stopping thing that Bucky had ever said to her. She felt a swell of emotion from within that she couldn't stop, and she knew that it was written on her face and that he could see it all. The thing was, his own mask seemed to have slipped a little bit as well, and as they gazed at each other - only for a few seconds, though it felt much longer than that - she felt as if maybe, just _maybe_ , they had overcome one of the barriers between them.

But she would have to wait to find out if that was indeed true. All too soon the moment was over, and as the tradition continued on and others shared their words of gratitude with the rest of the family, Summer found that she couldn't quite wipe the smile off of her face. She snuck glances to Bucky here and there and sometimes he looked back and sometimes he didn't, but every time their eyes connected it felt like fireworks lighting her up from within. And nobody, _nobody_ , had ever made her feel like that before.

All in all, Summer's first Thanksgiving with her new family was better and warmer and more emotional than she ever could have predicted. She ate until she was full and then she ate some more, along with everyone else, and when it was over and they all retreated to the sitting room for drinks and more conversation, she wondered if the night could possibly get any better.

And to her surprise, it did.

* * *

"So," Summer said slightly nervously, sitting on Aemilia's couch in her suite, "what are we watching tonight?"

"I haven't decided yet," Aemilia sighed next to her, tossing her long locks into a messy bun. "Thank you for filling in for Lukas, by the way. I can't believe he was actually called into work on Thanksgiving night."

"Well," Summer pointed out with a smile, "you did kind of just... grab me and Bucky and say 'Lukas has to work so now you two are gonna watch movies with me all night', so..."

"Indeed," Aemilia grinned. "I guess I'm rather persuasive like that."

"Yeah," Summer nodded, "and by the way, I know what you're doing."

"Me?" Aemilia asked innocently, hazel eyes large and unassuming. "What could I possibly be doing?"

Summer smiled and laughed with a small shake of her head. "Nothing, nothing at all, Miss Matchmaker."

Aemilia scoffed and waved her off. "Oh please. You two are already married. I'm only trying to help you two bond a bit more, and movie nights are a great way of doing that."

"Mhm," Summer chuckled. "Are you sure you weren't the one who secretly called Lukas in? Like, this isn't some elaborate scheme to get us in the same room so you can ditch us in the middle of a sex scene again?"

 _That_ made Aemilia laugh. "That was entirely unintentional! I swear! Trust me, I would never miss that scene on purpose."

"Lies," Summer teased. "All lies. You're diabolical. Admit it."

"Well... maybe a little bit," Aemilia grinned before getting up and heading to her massive collection of movies. "All right, I'm gonna hurry up and pick something before Bucky shows up."

As Aemilia began looking through her impressive catalog of films, Summer took a deep breath and picked up her phone from her pocket, looking through the slew of new pictures she'd taken that night. She'd grabbed selfies with quite literally everyone besides Bucky, only because she wasn't quite brave enough to go up to him and casually snap a photo with him the way that she could with everyone else. She wished that she'd just bitten the bullet and gone for it, but... there was no going back now.

"All right," Aemilia announced, sliding a DVD into the player under her TV at last. "It was a close one but I made a decision. We're watching Star Trek tonight."

"Ooh yay!" Summer grinned as Aemilia returned, happily plopping down next to her. "Spock! I love Spock. He's my favorite."

"Oh, mine too," Aemilia grinned. "I love Kirk too. I love everyone, honestly."

"Same," Summer agreed. Then she held out her phone and said, "Okay, seriously - does a cuter little girl exist anywhere in the entire world?"

Aemilia took the phone and smiled at the picture of Summer hugging Cassie with Scott making a ridiculous funny face next to them and doing bunny ears behind Summer's head. It was an adorable picture, and Aemilia shook her head and said, "I doubt it. And by the way, you're _both_ adorable."

Summer smiled and took the phone back, admiring the photo for a few more moments. "I've missed her. She's so sweet. And Scott is just... her hero. Always has been."

"She seems very fond of you, too," Aemilia noted. "And you seem like a natural with children."

"Oh, well... I don't know about that," Summer said, locking her phone and letting it fall to her lap. "I mean, I love kids and I wanna have them someday, but... the idea of having one of my own seems kind of terrifying, you know? I'm not nearly as prepared for that kind of thing as you are."

"Well... trust me, I still have some doubts of my own," Aemilia admitted, tone and expression growing a bit more sober. "I don't think I have quite that natural... knack that you do. Or at least, sometimes I'm afraid that I don't. I didn't exactly have a very good example from my mother, so..."

"But you're such a warm person," Summer told her with a small, encouraging smile. "You're gonna be a _fantastic_ mother."

"I hope so," Aemilia sighed. "It's just... not easy, after..."

"... The attack?" Summer asked gently.

"Well, yes, that didn't help," Aemilia replied, "but... no. You see, I... I don't like to talk about this very much, but... this isn't actually my first pregnancy."

"... Oh," Summer said quietly, face falling.

Toying with the hem of her roomy, comfy t-shirt, Aemilia took a breath and decided to try to get through the story as quickly as possible. As close as she and Summer were, this story was always going to come up sooner or later. "Lukas and I hadn't been married for almost a year when I first found out I was pregnant. We weren't really trying or not trying... we were just leaving it to fate, you know? And one day I realized I was late, so I snuck and bought a test and brought it home, and... it was positive." She smiled, recalling the now bittersweet memory. "It was a shock, but we were elated. Lukas was just over the moon. We called everyone we knew and shared the big news, and it was just incredible. I don't think I'd ever been happier."

Summer smiled with Aemilia, but her expression quickly fell as she realized where the story was likely headed. "I bought all the pregnancy books I could find and sort of lost my mind a little bit. I cut out all caffeine, took vitamins, counted all my calories to make sure I was getting enough, and I even stayed away from microwaves," she chuckled. "I just wanted to take care of the baby the best that I could. So a few weeks went by, and I felt surprisingly well. I wasn't really tired, and I was never nauseous. I had my first doctor appointment scheduled at 8 weeks, and we went into it _super_ excited because we knew we'd get to see the baby for the first time."

Summer braced herself, knowing that the worst part of the story was coming. Aemilia's eyes stayed on her fidgeting fingers as she continued. "But... when they gave me the ultrasound, there was just... sort of nothing there. There was _something_ \- I think they called it a yolk sac - but there was no little shrimp, no heartbeat, nothing that Lukas and I could see. And that far along, there _should_ be something there. But they told me that everything could still be fine and to just hang in there and come back in two weeks."

"Did you?"

Aemilia shook her head, voice shaking a bit as she replied, "No, I... I started bleeding a week later. Rather badly. I went to the ER in the middle of the night with Lukas, and that... that was it. They gave me painkillers and told me to just go home and let my body take care of it. And it did, but... that was just... the worst week of my life."

"I'm sorry," Summer said quietly, tears springing to her own eyes. "I had no idea."

Aemilia nodded, wiping her own stray tear away. "It's just... so unthinkably terrible because you see the two lines show up on the test and... in that moment your whole world changes and you suddenly have all these hopes and dreams for this child that you can't even see or feel. But you know they're there and... you're just never the same. You see everything through a new lens. _Everything_. And then in the blink of an eye... you just... wake up one day and they're gone."

"... I can't even imagine," Summer said quietly, heart heavy with empathy.

Aemilia sucked in a shaky breath and nodded, shrugging, "Well, once the shock wore off, then the guilt set in. I pored over the Internet for causes of miscarriage for days. I was sure that I'd done _something_ to cause it, because babies couldn't possibly just die for no reason. I thought it must have been my diet or lifestyle, working too much and not resting enough, _something_ , and it didn't matter what Lukas and everyone else told me. I still blamed myself. And it took me a very long time to stop doing that and accept that sometimes miscarriages really do just _happen_."

Aemilia then met Summer's eyes for the first time since she had begun speaking. She smiled sadly and said, "So you see now why we waited a bit to announce this pregnancy. One of the worst parts was having to tell everyone what had happened and why I wouldn't be needing a baby shower or anything else any longer. So we waited until we'd seen the baby with our own eyes and knew that it was _there_ and healthy."

"Yeah... yeah, that makes total sense," Summer nodded. "I just... _wow_. I don't know what to say."

"It's all right. There's hardly anything to say when it comes to things like this," Aemilia noted. "But you see now why I'm a little more... reserved, I guess, than I probably should be. I think some small part of me still blames myself for losing my first baby, and sometimes now I'm so deathly afraid of failing _this_ child that it's almost paralyzing. I mean, we live such complicated lives and to bring an innocent baby into this world... it scares me, it really does. There's so many dangers and so many enemies... and you know that as well as any of us do now."

"Yeah," Summer agreed quietly. "But I also know how protective and loyal this family is now. And your baby is gonna grow up with security better than the Secret Service."

"Yeah," Aemilia smiled. "And I wish that didn't have to be the case, but... it's the price of being who we are. And I don't regret that. It's worth it, more than worth it. But I suppose I just... have my moments sometimes."

"Well, we all do," Summer assured her, trying to comfort her friend as best she could. "But for what it's worth, I think that you're gonna be an _amazing_ mother. You're so... caring and sweet, and strong and... just extraordinary, honestly. Your baby's lucky to have you as their mother. And Lukas as their father."

Aemilia smiled at her friend and swiped a hand under her eyes again, then quietly thanked Summer for her kind and comforting words as she leaned over and pulled her into a hug. Summer squeezed her back and smiled, beyond grateful to have this remarkable woman in her life.

Then, just as they began to pull away, there was a knock at the door. Aemilia chuckled and wiped her hands under eyes again, taking a breath and composing herself before calling out, "It's open!"

Then she stood up to grab the remote from the table, and Bucky strolled inside. He wasn't empty handed, toting a bottle of whiskey in his hand, and when Aemilia noticed she said, "You know, that's just cruel. Dangling fine liquor in front of a pregnant woman. You should be ashamed of yourself."

"My bad," he grinned back, heading to the couch. "I can go and get you some ginger ale if you want."

Aemilia made a face. "No thank you." Then, as Bucky plopped down on the opposite side of the couch from Summer, Aemilia turned around with the remote in hand and grinned as she asked Summer, "Oh, darling... would you terribly mind sitting in the middle? I'm more comfortable when I have the arm of the couch to lean on."

Summer froze and looked up at her traitorous friend in mild horror. There was absolutely nothing Summer could do to argue with her, either, because what kind of hideous monster would deny a pregnant woman the seat of her choice?

"... Okay," Summer muttered with a blush rising on her cheeks, scooting to the center of the couch so that Aemilia could now take her vacated spot. She was now sitting next to Bucky - rather closely because the couch was not especially large, really - and she sat with an unnatural rigidity in her posture as Aemilia sat and sighed with an exaggerated sense of relief.

"Oh, that's much better," she grinned, hitting the play button. "Thank you, dear."

"... You're welcome," Summer grumbled back, wondering how the heck she was gonna survive an entire movie sitting _this_ close to her husband.

As the film opened with Jim Kirk's rather chaotic birth, Bucky opened the bottle of whiskey and took a drink straight from it. Then, to Summer's mild surprise, he handed the bottle to her in a wordless offer. She glanced up at him and smiled a little in gratitude before taking it and drinking from it as he had, sharing the bottle with him just as they had in the kitchen during her stress-bake-fest only a week prior.

Their fingers brushed incredibly faintly when she handed the bottle back to him. She tried to ignore the little sparks that shot up her arm and straight to her heart as a result, but doing so was impossible. Between the warmth of the alcohol and the warmth he exuded only inches away from her, she knew that she was in for a hell of a night.

As the three of them delved deeper into the popular sci-fi reboot, Summer grew a lot less stiff and a lot more relaxed. She was still in a mild food coma from earlier and the whiskey that she and Bucky slowly shared was working wonders for her nerves, even though she was still _very_ hyperaware of his proximity to her. But rather than simply be a big ball of nerves and anxiety, she also enjoyed being as close to him as she was. She only hoped that the feeling was mutual.

During the elevator scene where Spock and Uhura's relationship was revealed, Aemilia nudged Summer's arm and said, "I love them."

"Me too," Summer replied, grinning at the TV. "I mean, _look_ at them. Plus there's the whole teacher/student thing, which is..."

"Hot," Aemilia finished for her.

"Oh yeah," Summer blushed.

Bucky glanced at Summer from the corner of his eye. She didn't notice.

"And Spock is just..."

"... Hot," Aemilia finished for Summer again, this time with a giggle.

"Yes! Like, when have bangs and pointy ears ever looked so good?"

"... Seriously? _Spock_?"

Both Summer and Aemilia turned to look at Bucky in slightly wide-eyed surprise. He was looking at them like they were crazy, and Summer couldn't believe he'd actually just commented on their Spock talk.

"Well, yes," Aemilia shrugged. "What's not to love?"

Bucky shrugged and turned back to the TV. "Just figured girls would go for the other guy."

"... Kirk?" Aemilia guessed with a grin. "Well, I love him too. Chris Pine is beautiful."

"Oh definitely," Summer agreed. "Very pretty."

"And now we know Bucky agrees," Aemilia teased, and Bucky rolled his eyes.

"I didn't say _that_ ," Bucky insisted. "But between the two of them -"

"You prefer the blue-eyed pretty face?" Aemilia grinned. "I never doubted your taste in men, darling. Lukas is proof of it."

Bucky narrowed his eyes and gave Aemilia an exasperated look as Summer giggled and blushed up a storm. "It wasn't like that, Mia. You know that."

"I really don't," she teased. "I wasn't there when you two 'practiced kissing' in high school. For all I know I haven't even heard the full story and Lukas is holding back details for your sake."

Bucky dragged a hand over his face. " _Oh my God_."

Aemilia giggled and winked at Summer, who was utterly dying, but then was stopped short when her phone rang. Aemilia sighed and grabbed it, glanced at the caller ID and then got up to answer it, telling Summer not to bother pausing the movie for her.

And thus, once again, Aemilia had left the two not-quite lovebirds on her couch alone together. Summer let out a deep breath and happily accepted the whiskey bottle when Bucky offered it back to her, apparently reading her mind.

This time, however, Aemilia wasn't gone for long. But when she returned, she was throwing on a coat and telling them apologetically, "Lukas is having a bit of a crisis right now and wants my help. I'm sorry, but apparently I have a late night at the office ahead for me."

Summer's eyes widened in sudden panic. "You're leaving?!"

"Yes, but feel free to finish the movie without me. I've seen it loads of times," she smiled, grabbing a pair of keys from a bowl on the coffee table. "I'll see you two tomorrow!"

And then, just like that, Bucky and Summer's comfortable buffer was gone. They both stared after the door once it was shut behind her, the atmosphere in the room changing in an instant.

... _Oh boy_.

Summer turned her attention back to the TV and reminded herself that she had no reason to panic, no reason to freak out or clam back up and possibly retreat to the end of the couch that Aemilia had just vacated. She and Bucky were on much better, friendlier terms these days, and besides, she had just been alone with him earlier that day when he'd taken her shooting.

But this felt different. It was more... _domestic_ , she supposed, and casual. And as nervous as she was, she felt equally warm and... almost sort of happy that they were alone now.

She chewed her lip and wondered what the hell was happening to her. She felt like a nervous little schoolgirl around him and yet she enjoyed the rush so much that she almost hated it. He wreaked such havoc on her just by sitting next to her, and she had no idea how that was even humanly possible. How could he make her feel so very much by simply existing?

Then he shifted a little bit where he sat, and her face grew even hotter. He didn't move a lot, but his legs widened enough to bring them just a little bit closer together. There already wasn't much space between them to begin with, and now her arm was nearly brushing his. Her knee _was_ touching his. And neither of them were willing to embarrass themselves by pulling away.

Then something incredible happened. It was by the far the most shocking development of the night, in Summer's mind. They both actually relaxed and continued watching the movie without any further incident, still sharing the whiskey on occasion and genuinely enjoying each other's quiet company. She could hardly believe it, but damn if it didn't feel amazing in an understated, comforting way.

Then, later on when the movie had only minutes left, Summer was handing Bucky the whiskey back when her hand slipped too soon and she dropped it before he had a good grip on it. She squeaked and expected it to fall and spill and make a huge mess right on Bucky's lap, but his reflexes kicked in and he caught it before disaster could ensue. Then they both looked at each other and laughed a little bit, and her cheeks heated up in mild embarrassment as he set the bottle aside.

"Sorry," she smiled, suddenly realizing that she'd somehow inched closer to him during her brief panic. But just as before, she made no attempt to pull away.

"It's okay," he replied, still wearing a bit of his own grin. "Guess you've had enough now."

"Maybe," she shrugged, unable to get the smile off of her face. Then a moment of silence passed, but their attention didn't drift back to the TV. Instead, she shyly lifted her eyes to his and decided to say something that she had been thinking for a few hours but keeping inside, fidgeting with her fingers as she did. "Thank you for, um... for what you said earlier. At dinner. It was really nice to hear."

He nodded, clearly having also forgotten the movie entirely with her. He glanced down at her fingers briefly before looking back up and replying, "I meant it."

She nodded, blushing even more deeply. "I meant what I said too."

He looked down again and this time it seemed as if he couldn't quite stand to watch her continue to nervously fidget anymore. To her pleasant shock, he reached out and place his hand over one of hers, gently stilling her movements. Her eyes flashed up to his, and suddenly they were in quite the pickle. What to do _now_?

Her heart pounding within her chest, she decided to take a chance. She turned her hand over beneath his, so that his palm laid over hers, and she prayed that he wouldn't retreat and pull away from her. And to her relief, he didn't. He looked down at their hands and slowly, sweetly, began entwining their fingers one at a time, making her heart stop all over again.

It was so simple and so _light_ , and yet just holding his hand like that made her feel more alive than she had in ages. They'd held hands before for the sake of appearances, but it had never been like this. This was the first time they'd ever held hands because they _wanted_ to, and just knowing that he was doing this out of his own choice and free will was more exhilarating than anything in recent memory.

His thumb gently, soothingly swiped over the back of her hand, and she looked up to meet his gaze again. He stared back at her with that unreadable, intense look of his, the kind that made her stomach flip and her skin tingle, and she knew that something was going to happen. She didn't know _what_ , but it was going to be _something_ and it was going to be substantial, and they'd never be able to go back to the way that things had been before. They were standing on the edge and all it would take was one of them taking that final step, and then...

... And then his phone rang.

The only single consolation of it all was the fact that his face fell the minute the obnoxious noise reached their ears. Her heart dropped and he was obviously beyond annoyed and disappointed as he reluctantly withdrew his hand from hers and leaned forward on the couch to grab his phone, answering with an angry and vulgar hiss in Russian that required no translation. Almost wanting to cry out of sheer, exhausted frustration, Summer sighed and retreated a few inches away on the couch to give him space, though the way that he sounded when he answered the call sent an extra tingle down her spine.

It wasn't a long conversation. Just a few grunted words later and he hung up, running a hand through his hair and muttering, "I've gotta go."

"... Same crisis that Lukas and Aemilia are dealing with?" she guessed weakly.

He turned his head and looked at her over his shoulder. "No. Just... something I've gotta take care of."

"Okay," she nodded quietly. Then she glanced at the TV and said, "Well, at least we technically finished the movie."

He glanced at the rolling credits and allowed a small smirk, nodding back before getting to his feet. Summer stayed where she was and silently watched him go until something sprang to mind and, with a brief burst of whiskey-driven courage, she grabbed her phone and hopped to her feet and hurried to where he stood just short of the door.

"Hey," she said as he turned around and eyed her curiously. She smiled and added, "Um... so I took pictures tonight with basically everyone here, except for you because I... I don't know. I'm... just..."

"Shy?" he asked knowingly, quirking an amused eyebrow.

"Yes," she blushed with a smile, " _that_. So, um... would you mind maybe..."

He nodded, turning around fully. "Yeah, 'course."

She smiled wider and then quickly pulled up the camera on her phone, sliding up beside him and suddenly wondering how exactly this was going to work. She hesitated and glanced at him nervously before he simply reached out and pulled her to his side, his hand planted firmly on her waist. She smiled again and blushed like crazy and held up her phone in front of them, her other arm going around his shoulders, and then she squeaked, "... Smile."

She flashed a big cheesy grin but his expression remained neutral as she snapped the picture. Then she lowered the phone and smiled, "Um... that's not... quite a smile."

"I don't do fake smiles," he replied, hand never leaving its place on her waist.

"Oh. Okay. Well... can you try? For me?"

He grimaced a little. "I don't... I mean, it never looks good forced anyway."

Summer sighed and pretended to give in, holding up the camera again, but in reality she had an idea that she was just tipsy enough to try. She put them in the frame and smiled at the camera again before diving towards him and planting a sudden kiss on his cheek. His eyes widened in surprise before a smile spread across his face, and then she turned back to the camera and smiled before clicking the button.

And it totally worked. She pulled up the photo in question so they could both see it, and it was absolutely adorable. She was blushing and all smiles and he was a surprised mixture of surprise and amusement, his own little smile actually looking quite goofy and lovable, and his grin widened as he looked at the picture.

"Clever," he chuckled, eyeing her as she bit her lip and pocketed the phone.

"Well... I was hoping I'd be able to make you smile," she admitted, fingers fidgeting again now that the picture was over but he was still holding her against him. "And I did, so..."

"Yeah," he murmured, looking her over subtly but unmistakably. He still wasn't letting go of her, and Summer felt like her body was going to combust at any moment. They were so close and yet so far, and neither of them were making any effort to pull away.

So she did all that she knew how to do. She hugged him, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him in for a warm, thankfully welcome embrace. He didn't hesitate to hug her back, and for a few blissful, pleasantly hazy moments, she allowed herself to get caught up in him. She recognized the scent of his hair from his pillows, and she breathed him in as deeply as she could and wished she didn't have to let go. She didn't know that he was doing the very same thing.

Her scent had left his bed terribly quickly, barely lasting a day. They'd only shared his bed for one night but it was enough to make him miss her and miss the warmth and the comfort of someone else - of _her_ \- sleeping next to him. An increasingly dominant part of him wanted to simply pick her up and drag her to his bed, not even for sexual purposes - yet - but simply for companionship purposes. He wondered if she'd refuse him if he asked her to spend another night with him, if she'd blush and squirm but ultimately say no, or if she'd smile and say yes and maybe not _only_ want to merely sleep in his bed...

When they pulled away, they didn't go far. She looked up into his eyes and he stared back, both of them petrified of taking that extra step further and frozen in that fear, but not enough to fully paralyze them. She leaned forward first, but instead of trying to kiss him, she laid her forehead against his and closed her eyes. He followed suit, both of them breathing through parted lips and sharing the whiskey-tinged air between them. He shivered when he felt careful, nervous fingertips card shyly through his hair, and he felt her tremble when his hand on her waist slid lower, just over her hip.

But like everything else, the moment was doomed to end. His phone rang _again_ , and his previously serene face contorted into nothing short of sheer fury as he reluctantly pulled away and opened his eyes, giving her an apologetic look that she returned even though she looked - and felt - slightly devastated.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, pulling out his phone and reaching for the door again. "Goodnight, Summer."

She nodded, barely audibly repeating the sentiment back to him and smiling as he slipped through the door and let it click shut. The minute she couldn't see him anymore, he answered the phone with an absolutely seething anger that made her smile and bite her lip as she listened to it through the door.

Then, letting out a deep breath, she turned around and let herself fall back against the door. She slid down to the floor and pulled out her phone, pulling up that cute little picture of them smiling together and staring at it for longer than she would ever admit.

Her head and heart swimming in emotions that she couldn't contain, she waited a little bit and then decided to send Bucky a text for the very first time. His number had been sitting in her phone forever but she'd never used it until then. She attached the picture of them to the message and then typed beneath it, _just in case you wanted this_. Then she hit send and held her breath.

His reply came less than a minute later. _Thank you_.

She smiled widely enough to make her cheeks hurt and dropped her head back against the door, closing her eyes and wondering if this - this all-consuming, mad, unexplainable, soul-scorching feeling within her heart and every fiber of her being - was what true, life-changing love really felt like.

If it was... she was gonna pay for it someday, that she knew. Then again, maybe she already was.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hey guys! My sincere apologies for missing last week's update, I definitely didn't anticipate doing so and I felt really bad when I saw some of the reviews some of you left all excited for the next chapter only to be disappointed :( but I had a hard time with this chapter and between family stuff and Thanksgiving, I just didn't have enough time to sit down and force the chapter out. But I think taking longer with it made for a better chapter because by the time I managed to tackle it again, writing it wasn't so difficult and I wasn't having to force it anymore, so... again, I'm sorry for the letdown last week, but we're back on track :D thank you guys SO MUCH for your loyalty and incredible reviews and support for this story. It never fails to blow me away each week and WOW I love all of you so much :D**

 **Two more things before I shut up :D first of all, my undying gratitude to midnightwings96 who continues to be INHUMANLY busy but recently updated** ** _Ruin_** **despite it all AND helped co-write a few key parts of this chapter, including the one that I struggled with the most, and I continue to be perpetually in awe of her and how she manages to make time for me and this story and all of my annoying questions/ramblings. She is a GODDESS and I would be lost without her, so TONS AND TONS OF LOVE to her. Just ALL THE LOVE :D Secondly! Apparently I've forgotten to mention in my notes the little side story that's now accompanying this fic because I'm horridly forgetful like that :p** ** _All in the Family_** **is a growing collection of oneshots showing snapshots of various characters' backstories in this lovely Bratva AU, and midnightwings96 wrote the first installment, which details a FANTASTIC office encounter between our favorite power couple, Lukas and Aemilia, set awhile before Summer came along :) I just added a second oneshot last night, which is focused on Tony and Lukas and their own little** ** _history_** **which I hinted at in chapter 12, and if either of those things sound appealing, head on over and have a looksie :D I honestly thought that I'd already mentioned the side story but ALAS, my brain hath failed me yet again. LOL. Anyway, that story will be periodically updated as we add to it, and separate and much longer backstory oneshots of Bucky and Lukas both will also come in due time :D**

 **I IN CLOSING, once again, I LOVE YOU GUYS and I shall see you all next week! I'll try my best not to miss my own deadline this time ;) lol!**

Just over a week later, at the beginning of December, the manor was in the midst of a quiet but busy morning. Throughout its many rooms and suites, the manor's residents were starting their days in much different and unique ways, nearly all of them rising with the sun. After all, it was a Monday and there was much work to be done.

Down in the training room, Bucky and Summer were working up a sweat and trading jabs and kicks, sparring before Summer had to head into the office. Bucky had taken on Natasha's job in the wake of the elevated threat level against Summer, wanting to personally continue her training himself when possible, and Summer was excelling under his tutelage. Summer wasn't sure if her improvement with Bucky had to do with the new target on her head, or her simmering desire to make him proud, but she didn't question it. Perhaps it was a bit of both.

She was doing so well, in fact, that when she ducked a hit from him and managed to dance out of his grip by slamming her elbow into his face, it actually stunned him enough to let go of her and let out a legitimate cry of pain. Summer, of course, promptly gasped in horror and started apologizing over and over, but he merely rubbed at his nose and shot her a proud grin before complimenting her on how much better she was getting. She blushed and apologized again, and he simply shook it off and said, grin still firmly in place, "Get back in position. We aren't done yet."

Meanwhile, upstairs in her own little elegantly nerdy paradise, Aemilia was awake and checking her work emails at a desk in hers and Lukas' bedroom. Her hair was up in a messy bun and an oversized, comfy sweater kept her warm as she peered through the glasses on her face to her laptop screen, and not a trace of makeup was on her face. This happened to be one of Lukas' very favorite looks on her, so she wasn't surprised when, in the midst of composing a reply to a board member, her efforts were interrupted by the press of a sweet kiss to her neck. With a gravelly, distracting, "Good morning, my Little One," he wrapped his strong, lean arms around her from behind as she giggled. His hands brushed against her little bump as he nuzzled into her neck and murmured, "Come back to bed with me." And before she knew it, a shirtless and still sleepy Lukas had swept her up into his arms and carried her back to bed, both of them grinning like idiots and momentarily forgetting about the long day at work that laid ahead for both of them. They'd started the day like that quite a few times before, and neither one of them planned on ever objecting to showing up to work a little late in order to waste a few extra moments of bliss together in bed.

The manor's other residents were welcoming the new morning in much different ways. Frieda was still lounging in bed herself, being treated to a lovely breakfast in bed by her adorably eager-to-please - and naked - younger lover. Sam was up and grabbing coffee with Thor, who had replaced him as Summer's bodyguard until he was recovered fully. Wanda was out for a run around the property, joined halfway through by Scott, and she wasn't sure if he was flirting with her or just being very friendly as he tried to make conversation whilst huffing and puffing next to her. Tony had already blown something up in his lab in a failed attempt to impress Lizzie by showing her a new and apparently doomed prototype. She screeched in alarm the minute the thing combusted and then sprayed half the lab - including Tony - with a fire extinguisher.

By nine o'clock, nearly everyone had found their way to the kitchens to grab something to eat before either heading to work or heading somewhere else. For Lukas and Aemilia, this meant sitting at the table and enjoying two very different omelettes as they observed the always-entertaining Bucky and Summer collide at the coffee station.

Summer was dressed and ready for work in an eye catching blue blouse, skirt, black tights, and heels. She was concocting a cinnamon-flavored iced latte for herself when Bucky, also dressed for work in a sharp gray suit, came over and reached for a pot of black coffee. Summer then looked up and immediately blushed before the babbling began, and then Lukas and Aemilia kicked off their ringside commentary.

"Oh dear," Lukas grinned, leaning closer to his wife. "She's blushing extra brightly today."

"Something must have happened during training," Aemilia speculated. Summer was grinning at Bucky and he was shaking his head and grinning back, tapping his nose and saying something that made her cringe and laugh. Aemilia could read lips well enough to tell that Summer was apologizing for something, and she said, "I wonder what she's sorry for."

"I don't know," Lukas said, "but do you see the way that he is looking at her? I'm quite sure that he's officially as smitten as she is."

Aemilia turned her attention to Bucky and smiled, Lukas' words ringing very true. Bucky looked mostly relaxed around Summer now, no longer super tense with a frown permanently etched on his face. Instead he and Summer shared easy smiles now, chatting over coffee like real friends, and it was adorable to watch them interact like that. Summer was always so nervous and Bucky still so guarded, but they had come incredibly far from where they'd once been. Aside from the tension that occurred whenever Bucky's eyes would drop lower or Summer were it appraise his arms underneath his suit jacket, they seemed totally at ease. They both just desperately needed to get laid. Preferably with each other.

"Oh look," Aemilia said, "she's offering him her coffee."

Summer handed her cup to Bucky, who took it and sniffed it skeptically before slowly taking a drink. He then made a face and handed it back to her, shaking his head with a smile as she giggled.

"I'm not surprised," Lukas replied. "She puts enough fake sugar in her coffee to give a horse cancer."

"But that's so cute!" Aemilia squeaked. "Look at how well they're getting along now! How much longer will they hold out before they finally give in and rip each other's clothes off?"

"Well," Lukas remarked quietly, "if Summer would make just the smallest effort to seduce him, I am 100% sure that he wouldn't even try to resist. Look at him. If she told him to take her right here on the table in front of us, I've no doubt that he would do it and not even think twice."

"Hmm... you know, you make a good point," Aemilia agreed. "But I don't think she's aware of it. I'm also not sure she quite knows how to seduce a man, at least on purpose."

"Perhaps you should give her lessons," Lukas grinned.

"... I think that is a wonderful idea," Aemilia smirked back, just before Summer surprised them both by plopping down in front of them and taking a rather large and unceremonious bite of a donut.

"So," Summer said through the big bite of fried doughy goodness, "can I just say that you guys aren't nearly as subtle as you think you are? I mean, talking to Bucky and not making a complete idiot of myself is hard enough as it is, but then you guys sitting here and watching and oh-so-subtly whispering between yourselves is just the icing on the cake."

"Oh, I'm sorry, darling," Aemilia chuckled. "We don't mean to make things more difficult for you. But we can't help it! You two are sort of the most adorable things we've ever seen."

"And if you ever had any doubt of his growing affection," Lukas added, "the fact that he willingly tried that disgusting toxic waste that you call coffee is all the proof you could possibly ask for."

"Hey, this stuff is delicious!" Summer grinned, holding the cup up for emphasis. "But... do you really think so?"

"Oh, without a doubt," Aemilia replied with a nod. "In fact, Lukas and I were just saying how he would be putty in your hands if you happened to try seducing him."

Summer's eyes widened and she nearly choked on her latest mouthful of food. "Oh God."

"It's true," Lukas agreed. "A man can only hold out for so long. And if you happened to make a move or two..."

"I don't know how," Summer confessed, eyes still large and alarmed.

"Don't know how to do what?" Lizzie suddenly asked, appearing in the seat at Summer's unoccupied side with an apple in hand.

"Seduce a man," Aemilia replied helpfully while Summer groaned.

"Oh please, that's easy," Lizzie said, waving her hand dismissively. "All you have to do is cook a guy his favorite thing to eat and wear something showing off your best assets - that would be your girls, pumpkin - and once he's full, he's gonna want dessert. If you know what I mean."

Summer took a pointed bite of her donut and said, "I'm not doing that."

"Well, then there's always the old fashioned way," Aemilia shrugged.

"Sharon Stone him one day in his office?" Summer asked flatly, just daring one of them to actually endorse such a method.

Lukas' eyes lit up with instant mischief. "Well, one time Aemilia _did_ -"

Aemilia immediately slapped her hand over her husband's mouth and blushed, "Nothing. Aemilia did nothing of the sort, ever. _Anyway_ , honestly I don't think you should worry about it. You two are making wonderful progress. But there's no harm in upping the ante, if you will."

Summer glanced around helplessly. "... Look, I've spent the last four mornings training with him and sometimes he ends up literally on top of me or his leg ends up... somewhere, and it's seriously torture but... I'm terrified of actually trying anything. Sometimes it feels like we get really close to something but... it just doesn't happen," she shrugged. "I don't want to try anything and then him reject me and suddenly everything's awkward again."

"... Well, that's a fair point," Aemilia sighed. "Just... do what feels natural, I suppose. And don't be afraid to take that extra step if the opportunity presents itself. You might need to be the one to make that push."

"... Right, because of the tragic backstory I haven't leveled up enough to unlock yet," Summer noted. "All right, well... I'll keep all of that in mind. I need to get going."

"See you at work," Aemilia smiled as Summer got to her feet.

"Yep," Summer smiled back. "Oh and don't forget, that reception's tonight."

Aemilia immediately grimaced and groaned, "Oh, dammit. I forgot."

"Yeah, well... you get to suffer with me," Summer replied. "Lots of stale cigar smoke and mind-numbingly boring conversations are in our very near future. And Bucky must really be taking the whole bullseye on my head thing seriously because even he's gonna be there."

"Wow," Lukas marveled. "That's truly surprising."

"Yeah... not really comforting either," Summer sighed.

"Got your gun on you?" Lizzie asked.

Summer patted her thigh and nodded. "Under my skirt. Really uncomfortable, by the way. Bucky's gun is heavy."

"I'm sure it is," Lukas smirked.

Summer rolled her eyes with a smile and turned around. "And on that note... I'm off."

Aemilia waved goodbye and sent her off with a smile, and once she'd cleared the room Lizzie groaned and muttered, "She's handling all of this a lot better than I am. I'm losing my mind worrying about her."

"Well, I can assure you that she's as safe as she can possibly be," Lukas told her gently. "And my brother won't let her out of his sight. Try not to worry so much."

"Well, you'll be a parent soon enough," Lizzie smiled, looking at both Lukas and Aemilia. "Once you are, you'll know how non-negotiable worrying is. It's like breathing. You don't try to do it. You just do."

"I'm sorry," Aemilia said, tone full of sympathy. "This has been a difficult time for all of us. But her protection is a top priority. The only way to secure her even more would be to call in the Secret Service."

"... Think they'd charge much?" Lizzie joked.

Just then, Frieda and Pietro finally emerged from their little love nest and made their way into the dining room. The minute Lukas glanced over and saw Pietro's smiling, happy face, he frowned and said, "Well then, I'm off."

Aemilia chuckled at his stubborn refusal to accept the new man in his mother's life, and soon she too was also off to the office. A long, regrettably caffeine-free day laid ahead of her, but she didn't mind. At least she'd have her husband and two of her best friends with her to suffer through that damn reception later.

Summer, meanwhile, hoped that going to work armed with a loaded gun strapped to her leg for the first time wouldn't freak her out and trigger a new panic attack later on. Only time would tell, but as she travelled into the city with Thor sitting next to her in the backseat of her driver's car, her hopes for such a thing only plummeted lower and lower.

But she'd made it this far. She'd keep going if it was the last thing she did. Literally.

* * *

When Summer walked into her office that morning with Thor and all of his enormous blonde glory at her side, she caused a mini-uproar among her staff. Nicolo dropped a pencil he'd been holding and Esteban actually walked into a wall as a result of his open-mouthed staring. Wanda, on the other hand, simply smiled and greeted him calmly, and Darcy high-fived him and poked at his biceps as a way of saying hello. Thor was all bright smiles to them all, just as he was to everyone most of the time, and he proceeded to shadow Summer throughout the day and personally see to her safety.

He even stood outside of the bathroom everytime she had to take a trip there. She might have been annoyed if she wasn't so hugely grateful for him and his dedication. He made her feel safe enough to carry on with her day as usual, and that was something she wouldn't dare take for granted.

Then there was _another_ presence that also served to soothe Summer's nerves, unexpected as it was. Bucky spent the day being uncharacteristically present at the office, and she caught glimpses of him here and there as she went about her business, a little comforted that he was making much more of an effort to be present now that she had a target on her back. It was also further proof of just how protective and fiercely loyal he was to her, which was something she never would have thought possible at the beginning of her marriage.

Once her lunch break rolled around, Summer got an invite via text from Aemilia to come and spend it in her office with her. After Darcy returned from a brief trip out to get everyone in Summer's office meals from a little gourmet sandwich shop that she swore by, Summer grabbed her lunch and made the short trek to Aemilia's office.

Once she arrived, she found Aemilia's door open and peered around it with a smile as she gently knocked to make her presence known. She was surprised to then be met with the sight of Lukas and Bucky turning around and looking her way as Aemilia wheeled her chair a few inches to the side and waved at her behind her desk.

"Oh sorry," Summer immediately blushed, "I can come back if -"

"No, no, it's quite alright," Lukas assured her, turning to leave. "We were just on our way out. We'll see you lovely ladies later."

Summer smiled and returned the sentiment, stepping into the office so that the men could exit. Hers and Bucky's eyes met as he walked past her, and the blush that rose to her cheeks as she smiled at him was unstoppable. She got a subtle quirk of his lips in return, and then he was gone and leaving that distinct scent of his hair wafting through her nose in his wake.

The minute that he was gone and could no longer hear her, Summer closed her eyes and muttered wistfully, "My God, that man smells like walking sex. And I don't mean the _actual_ smell of sex - you know, the kinda gross, sweaty, sticky smell, but like... the good stuff."

Aemilia chuckled and motioned for Summer to take a seat. "I'm sure he'd be rather flattered to hear that. You should tell him one of these days."

"Oh sure," Summer shrugged, "maybe right after I tell him that his thighs are all I have to fantasize about to..." She stopped and widened her eyes. "Never mind. I'm not gonna finish that sentence."

"Oh, no need to," Aemilia smiled. "So, you've officially begun fantasizing about your husband?"

Summer sighed and took an unglamorous bite of the sandwich she'd just unwrapped, muttering through it, "Is that really surprising? I mean..."

"No, not at all," Aemilia shrugged, taking the lid off of her own lunch - something greasy from a Chinese place that had fit her pregnancy cravings that day. "And I can hardly blame you. Have you managed to get any work done today despite your mental fixation with his thighs?"

A brief work-related talk followed, one that covered everything from the reception they'd be enduring later to the joy of interacting with someone named Dave from accounting, who managed to turn every conversation into a one-sided rant about the current President of the United States. But then their talk inevitably circled back to Summer and her Bucky problem, and by the time they'd finished their food and Summer was bemoaning her personal ineptitude, Aemilia was sighing and giving her best advice again.

"I'm telling you, Summer," she said, leaning back in her seat and resting a hand on her growing little baby bump, "all you have to do is try your hand at seducing the man. You might not believe me, but it's true."

" _But I can't_ ," Summer whisper-wailed, slumping back in her seat and throwing her arms up in defeat. "You don't understand. I literally can't."

Aemilia gave her a look and then stood up from her seat, replying, "You know, I used to feel that way, when I was younger. But really every woman is capable of it, and it usually comes rather naturally once you get the right push."

"Well... it definitely doesn't come naturally to me," Summer muttered.

"Oh I think it does," Aemilia replied, closing her office door. "You just aren't aware of it. Really, when it comes right down to it, seduction is quite easy once you let your guard down and just _do_ rather than _think_."

"Well, that's easy for you to say," Summer chuckled, glancing down at her hands. "You're _you_."

"And _you_ ," Aemilia purred, suddenly right behind Summer with her lips at her ear, much to Summer's shock, "my darling Summer, are just as capable as I am in seducing any man you may desire."

Summer giggled nervously and squirmed a little, unsure of what exactly was happening. "Uh..."

"Shall I demonstrate for you?" Aemilia asked, brushing some of Summer's hair back as she turned her head to peer up at her shyly. "I will, if you'd like me to."

Dumbfounded and a little wide-eyed, Summer stared at the other woman as if to gauge if she was serious or not. When it became clear that she was, Summer blinked and replied, "... Okay."

Aemilia grinned a bit predatorily - _oh boy_ \- and lowered her lips to brush against Summer's neck. "Good. You see... it takes so little to make shivers run down one's spine. Just a brush of lips... or breath against your ear," she murmured, demonstrating her words as she spoke. "Do you feel that?" she asked directly against Summer's ear.

"Y-yeah," Summer stuttered, heart pounding at the unexpected assault.

"Good," Aemilia cooed. "You see, subtlety can take you rather far if you'll let it. And then once it's done its job..." She spun the chair so that the very flushed Summer was facing her, eyes still huge. "Then you can take a more _direct_ approach."

Summer then gaped a little as Aemilia lowered herself down into her lap, straddling it and sliding her hands on her shoulders. Summer immediately looked down to avoid Aemilia's gaze, but then there was a delicate finger under her chin forcing her to look back up. "Eye contact is non-negotiable," Aemilia said with a wry grin. "And I know that can be difficult for you, especially when it comes to Bucky. But it's absolutely essential. You can convey so much through eyes alone - confidence, desire, _intent_. You can say things that words can't."

Summer didn't say anything in reply, instead nodding slightly as she forced herself to maintain eye contact with Aemilia. She blushed even more deeply as a result, and Aemilia grinned again before tucking a lock of hair behind Summer's ear and then reaching down to take her hand in her own.

"Now," she said, entwining their fingers together, "if you were sitting on his lap like this, I would imagine he would be reacting like you are - stiff, shocked, nervous. It's best to be delicate in a situation like this," she said, looking down at their joined hands before lowering them and placing Summer's on her hip. "Be gentle and show him what you want. Don't push too far. Take your time and have patience."

Now gripping Aemilia's hip and finding herself even more bewildered as a result, Summer continued to watch her and then let her mouth drop open even more when Aemilia rocked against her - just a little bit - and slid both of her hands into Summer's hair. "You also have to watch his cues," Aemilia went on, looking down at Summer's lips and then back to her eyes. "Watch his eyes and his body language. He'll tell you what he wants, just as you're telling me what you want right now."

"... I am?" Summer squeaked, and Aemilia let out a little chuckle that was nothing short of seductive before tossing her hair back and arching a little, bringing one hand to the top button of Summer's blouse and playing with it.

"Of course you are," Aemilia said, undoing the button and making Summer's head spin as she wondered just how far she was gonna take this - not that she was complaining. "And right now, your body language is absolutely _begging_ me to kiss you."

"Oh," Summer whispered, not arguing one bit because... _well_. Who in their right mind _wouldn't_ want this woman to kiss them, especially while perched on on their lap and pressing their chests together?

"Lukas wouldn't mind, you know," Aemilia said, drawing closer and cradling Summer's cheek in her hand. "He wouldn't care if I kissed you... or touched you," she said, their lips a breath apart. "You poor, beautiful girl... you would come undone so quickly for me, wouldn't you?"

Summer whimpered and had absolutely no idea what to say, completely lost as to whether this was still a training exercise or if it had turned into something more, and either way she was absolutely dying.

"I could give you what you need," she told Summer, rocking against her again, their lips nearly brushing. "I think I would enjoy it as much as you would. And like I said... Lukas wouldn't mind." She then brushed her lips against Summer's jaw, all the way to her ear, and then whispered, "But Bucky might."

Then she suddenly drew away, and when Summer opened her eyes - when had she closed them?! - she found Aemilia rising gracefully to her feet and smiling cheerfully as Summer stared at her in utter disbelief and debilitating frustration.

"So, what do you think?" Aemilia asked happily, as if Summer wasn't currently a massive puddle of unmet needs and mild embarrassment thanks to her merciless teasing.

Summer groaned and sunk further into the chair, covering her burning face with her hands. "I think that's the most evil thing anyone has ever done to me."

Aemilia simply giggled and grabbed one of Summer's hands, pulling her to her feet. "Well, if it's any consolation, I got rather caught up myself. I might need to have Lukas pay me a visit after you leave. But first!" She traded places with Summer and climbed into the seat. "Your turn."

"... Oh God," Summer mumbled, face catching fire again. "Or I could just go and take a bath in a big tub of ice and hide my face in shame forever."

"Oh, come on!" Aemilia giggled, patting her lap. "This was all for nothing if you didn't learn something from it, and this is the only way for me to be sure that you did."

"... Fine," Summer sighed, still trying to calm herself down as Aemilia spun the chair around, so that her back was to Summer.

"Now just pretend that I'm him," Aemilia said. "You see him in his study sitting at his desk and want to make a move. Keeping in mind what I showed you - what do you do?"

"... Turn and run away, probably," Summer admitted, approaching the chair anyway.

"Yes, well... let me rephrase. What would you _want_ to do?"

And so, after taking a deep breath and mustering as much courage as Summer possibly could, she began to reenact to the best of her ability what Aemilia had showed her.

It was a little understandably awkward at first, but Aemilia didn't let Summer give up. First she tried to emulate the ear and neck lip-brushing and touching, and Aemilia guided her gently and helped her achieve the right amount of pressure after her first attempt was a little too timid. Then, once Aemilia was satisfied, they moved on to the next stage.

It was a little bizarre at first but to Summer's surprise, she ended up easing into the "lesson" and having fun with it. Once she was seated on Aemilia's lap and getting the heavier stuff started, Aemilia provided tips throughout like reminding her to maintain eye contact - that was one of Summer's weakest points - and to keep her shoulders square rather than let them slump. "Look confident even when you're not," she told her, and Summer nodded and fixed her posture, which also happened to place her rather ample chest nearly at Aemilia's eye level.

This was also the point where Lukas happened to return to the office - he'd left his phone behind by accident on Aemilia's desk earlier - but the girls didn't hear him quietly open the door. As a result, he stood there and cocked his head in curiosity and amusement as his best friend's wife ran her fingers through Aemilia's hair and giggled quietly as she leaned in closer to her, straddling her lap and... yes, she appeared to be slowly undoing Aemilia's shirt as well.

Lukas leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms, grinning and quite enjoying the show and knowing exactly what they were doing. The girls were smiling at each other and Summer was leaning in to drag her lips along Aemilia's jaw, her hands gently gripping her hair, and it was at that point that Lukas couldn't help but make his unexpected presence known.

"You know, darling," he said as both Aemilia and Summer startled, the latter so much that she nearly had a heart attack, "If you get a little rougher and pull that man's hair, he will melt into your very hands."

Summer then toppled to the floor in her panic, barely registering Lukas' words, and Aemilia gasped with a laugh and leaned forward in her seat to ask, "Oh my God, are you all right?"

"... No," Summer groaned, wishing the ground would open her up and swallow her whole. "I think I broke my ankle and also sunk into a state of permanent humiliation."

"Oh please, dear, don't do that," Lukas said, reaching down and offering a hand to help her back up. She accepted and he pulled her to her feet as he added, "Besides, you provided me with quite the image to save for a, ah... rainy day, if you know what I mean."

Summer's eyes widened a little and her blush returned with a vengeance as she stared at Lukas. Then she looked back and forth between himself and the still-beaming Aemilia and said, "You guys know that one day you're gonna be the actual death of me, right? Like... I'm pretty sure I'm _this_ close to actually spontaneously combusting."

"Well, try not to do that until you have the chance to use what I taught you today," Aemilia smiled. "And when you do, I must hear all the details ASAP."

Nearly choking with anxiety at the mere thought, Summer sighed and muttered, "Yeah... okay. I'll try. So, um... thanks for... all your help."

Aemilia nodded happily. "It was my pleasure, darling."

Summer nodded, glancing at Lukas again. Then she looked down at the floor and sighed, "You guys are gonna jump each other the minute I'm gone, aren't you?"

"Jump... no," Lukas replied, eyeing Aemilia. "Pretend to be a pretty intern and drop to my knees so that I can impress the beautiful, irresistible boss... yes, most likely."

Aemilia raised her eyebrow at Lukas and grinned saucily, and he grinned back at her in a way that left no doubt as to just how _hungry_ he was. Summer then cleared her throat and exclaimed, "Okay! I'm gonna get back to work and die now."

"All right!" Aemilia called after her as she hurried to the door. "You can take a bit of a longer lunch if you'd like some time to lock yourself in your office and... _calm down_."

Summer paused with her hand on the door and said, "You know, I might just do that. Bye."

Lukas waved. "Have fun."

Summer waved back and shared another quick smile with Aemilia before closing the door and wasting no time in marching back to her office. She made the trip there in record time, breezing past the desks of her staff and prompting Darcy to ask, "Hey, boss, why's your face all red?"

"No reason, and nobody bother me for... eight minutes," she said before throwing herself into her office and slamming the door shut.

Darcy glanced at Nicolo and Esteban and shrugged. "You heard the lady."

"But why exactly eight minutes?" Nicolo wondered aloud.

"A girl can do a lot with eight minutes," Darcy replied.

" _Oh_ ," Nicolo and Esteban both then replied in unison before getting back to work.

* * *

Later on, after office hours were over and Summer would have normally been home and getting ready for dinner with the family, she had instead freshened up her makeup and hit the lounge that was near the top floor of the skyscraper. The spacious and elegant lounge was, as expected, full of cigar smoke and older men and younger women clutching glasses of liquor, and though Summer would have much rather been at home in her pajamas, she instead took a deep breath and dove in to get it over with.

While she was greeting the first few faces that she came into contact with, she unknowingly caught the eye of someone who'd been watching for her arrival for awhile. As soon as he spotted her, he grabbed an extra drink and headed her way.

Then, seconds later, Summer nearly squeaked when an arm suddenly curled around her middle and a drink was placed into her hand. She looked up and felt her face immediately heat up with a bright blush at the sight of Bucky's slightly amused face, but she tried to school her features since, after all, they were only playing a part and she knew that.

"Thank you," she said quietly, taking a sip of the drink - whiskey, because he knew she liked it - and then turning back to the board member that she'd been previously speaking to.

The board member in question was, unsurprisingly, a rather old man named Harry who liked to prattle on with a soft Russian accent about everything from politics to the price of yachts to the antics of his grandkids, and he quickly shook Bucky's hand and noted, "Well, from the looks of things, I'd say there's no trouble in paradise yet?"

"None that I can see," Bucky replied, drawing his hand back and briefly glancing to Summer, whose blush was still quite intact. She smiled at him, not having to fake the affection in her expression, and she noticed that he'd taken his hair down since the last time she'd seen him that day.

 _God_ , she was such a slut for long hair. More specifically, _his_ long hair.

"Good, good," Harry replied, taking a sip of his own drink. Then he raised an eyebrow and asked, "Any chance of an heir anytime soon?"

Summer choked on her drink and coughed behind her hand as Bucky chuckled and replied, "Well, I can assure you and whoever else is curious, there's been no lack of _trying_."

Summer died a little inside and Harry laughed. "Well, I only ask because every king needs a prince, you know?"

"Or princess," Bucky shrugged.

"... But preferably a prince," Harry winked. "Anyway, don't let me monopolize your time."

He then gave them his goodbyes before moving on through the small crowd present, and Summer took a deep breath before glancing up at Bucky again. "You know, it's really hard keeping track of everyone who knows about the Bratva and who doesn't. Like, I never know what to say to half these people."

"Well, everyone on the board knows," Bucky replied, keeping his arm around her waist as they began slowly strolling across the lounge. "But otherwise, we do keep it as closed-circle as we can. So you're right to be cautious."

A little relieved to hear that, Summer nodded and then blushed again. "So... _heir_ talk."

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Sorry about that. Harry's never been very impressed with me. He wanted Rumlow for Captain back when Pierce retired."

"Oh," Summer muttered, an unpleasant chill creeping down her spine at the mention of Rumlow's name.

"They're more of a... traditional breed, I guess," Bucky explained quietly, nodding towards someone who waved at them as he continued to walk with Summer. "Hardliners. They see me as soft because I have a woman as my right hand and supported Aemilia's bid for CEO. I'm more progressive than they can comfortably swallow. Plus I'm not ethnically Russian, so that's another unforgivable sin."

" _Wow_ ," Summer said, widening her eyes a bit. This was more than Bucky had ever told her about the inner workings of the mob than ever before. "So wait... is the heir thing kinda like what always happens with royalty, where the whole kingdom is supposedly in jeopardy unless there's an heir?"

Bucky nodded. "And preferably a male heir, because God forbid a woman ever runs the Bratva."

Then their steps came to a stop, and a chilly rush of air made Summer realize that they were now standing outside on a terrace, overlooking the nighttime city lights. Most of the buildings surrounding them were smaller than theirs, and only then did it suddenly strike Summer how very _powerful_ the man standing next to her truly was. It was easy to forget this in the midst of her average day to day work and routine, but... he really _was_ a king. And that meant that _she_ was a...

"You don't need to worry about... that," Bucky said, misreading her suddenly sober expression and interrupting her thoughts. Her eyes flew from the skyline to his mildly panicked expression, and she grew confused as he added, "The heir thing, it's... only something relics like Harry even think about or care about. Nobody expects you to..."

And suddenly Summer understood. "Oh!" she squeaked, cheeks burning in record time as realized at last what Bucky was getting at. "I... yeah, I mean... no, that makes sense. Is that why you always make it sound like we... um..." She gestured vaguely with her hands. "... A lot?"

He nodded, and if she wasn't mistaken, he looked as awkward as she felt. "Yeah. Keeping up appearances."

She nodded back and looked away, wishing those words didn't hurt as much as they did. She knew they were true but she just wished that when he put his arm around her and spoke openly of his affection for her that it was real and coming from a place of sincerity. But he only did that in settings like these, so she tried to just accept that for what it was, even if it hurt.

And the fact that it hurt meant that she was in entirely too deep.

Then her curiosity got the better of her and she asked a question before she could think better of it. "Do you _want_ kids? Ever?"

The question clearly caught him off guard. He stared at her in surprise before turning his eyes back to the view before them, blinking a few times before he replied, "I don't really... I don't know. I haven't thought about that since... in a very long time."

"... Okay," she replied quietly. "I understand. I've always wanted kids. Not like _ten_ of them, but... my house was always so quiet growing up. I hated that, and I still hate it when it's too quiet. I always wanted to have like three or four kids, kinda close together so that they always have each other."

Bucky listened to her and nodded, looking away before muttering, "Well, I'm sure you never wanted to have kids with someone like me, so..."

Her face fell a bit and she began mentally scrambling for something, _anything_ that she could say back, but then they were interrupted by another pair of folks ambling out to the terrace with drinks in hand. They then loudly greeted Bucky and Summer and brought the conversation to a premature end, and Summer sort of hated them for it. She desperately wanted to keep the conversation going, but what would have said? _No, Bucky, I do want to have your babies_?

... _Did she_ want to have his babies? If they ever grew close enough and intimacy actually occurred in the first place, raising kids would be a whole other ballgame. He was and would always be a high-ranking Bratva operative at the end of the day, the American fist of a global criminal conglomerate, and just as Bucky had pointed out somewhat bitterly... that _wasn't_ the kind of man she wanted to have children with. Just their very relation alone would put those hypothetical children in danger from birth until death, natural or otherwise.

And yet... his every other quality was one that she _did_ look for in a potential mate and father of her future children. He was hardworking and loyal and protective and, when he wanted to be, incredibly sweet and thoughtful. And on top of that, any child who shared half of his genes was essentially guaranteed to be absolutely beautiful.

As her thoughts swam around in her head and she came to terms with the fact that she might actually want a family with a terrifying mob boss who had killed literally countless people, Summer ended up unknowingly finishing her drink and was then handed a new one by Lukas, who sidled up to her in the middle of the lounge and said, "Are you contemplating the universe, dear?"

"Oh," she smiled, trying to snap out of it. "No. Just... thinking."

"What ever about?" Lukas pressed with a grin. "Shall I guess?"

"You could try, but I doubt you'd get it right," she smiled back.

"Well... Aemilia _might_ have informed me of you little fixation with your husband's thighs, and he is wearing a rather well-tailored suit, so..."

Summer groaned. "Does she tell you _everything_ I say?"

"Just about," Lukas replied.

"... You don't repeat it to Bucky, do you?" she asked, horrified at the mere thought.

"Oh dear, of course not," Lukas scoffed. "Just as I don't repeat to you what he says to me about you."

She paused mid-sip and swallowed hard before asking wide-eyed, "Wait... what _does_ he say about me?"

Lukas raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

He then sauntered off, and Summer followed him with a beleaguered, "You can't do that to me! That's evil! What kind of evil mastermind are you?"

"I prefer _mischievous_ ," he replied over his shoulder. "And anyway, if you want to know what he thinks of you, simply ask him yourself."

Summer's steps slowed to a halt then, and she sighed as she glanced across the lounge and watched for a moment as Bucky chuckled at a story that Aemilia was regaling him and a few others with. She'd never have the guts to just simply ask him what he thought of her, even though she sort of desperately wanted to know all of a sudden. Just imagining what sorts of talks Bucky and Lukas got up to and wondering if they were _anything_ like what she and Aemilia talked about...

"I'll tell you this much," Lukas told her, still at her side. "Aemilia and I are not the only ones impressed by your strength and your beauty."

Summer turned her head and looked at him in surprise, a small smile growing on her face as he mirrored it with one of his own. "You know," she said quietly and affectionately, "you're seriously amazing and I kind of love you."

He chuckled and returned her sentiment with a look that did all the talking for him. Then the moment was ruined when Darcy showed up at Summer's other side, third glass of champagne in hand, and stared at Bucky as she requested, "Permission to be wildly inappropriate."

"Go for it," Summer sighed.

Darcy proceeded to look Bucky up and down - twice - and said, "He's just _bananas_ in bed, isn't he?"

... _God_ , Summer wished she knew.

"I mean," Darcy continued, "his hair. His body. His voice. The whole I'm-super-scary-and-I-could-kill-you-with-my-pinky-but-you'd-like-it thing. And his jaw. And his lips."

Lukas, now joining the women in openly ogling the seemingly oblivious Bucky, replied casually, "They _are_ quite soft. And _very_ nice to bite."

He then bid them adieu and walked away to crash a conversation that Thor was currently having with the CFO. Darcy blinked once, twice, then three times before saying, "Wait, what?"

"They made out in high school," Summer explained.

Darcy slowly turned her head towards her boss and said, "Give me all the details. Now." She paused. "Please."

"I would, but that's all I know so far," Summer shrugged helplessly.

"Like... did they _just_ make out or... was there some hand to hand combat if you know what I mean, or... some harmless teenage dry humping or -"

"You'll be first on my list to tell when I find out," Summer replied, interrupting her.

"Good. I'll be waiting for your call." She then paused and, eyes back on Bucky, added, "He'd totally top the _hell_ out of Lukas."

" _Okay_ ," Summer half-exclaimed, mind officially full of unspeakable - but hot - images thanks to _that. "_ No more permission to be inappropriate. Permission denied. Like, forever."

"Fine," Darcy chuckled, patting Summer on the shoulder. "But you know I'm right."

Summer groaned and, not for the first time that day, found herself more uncomfortably compromised than words could express. Then Bucky finally glanced up and caught her staring, and she jumped so much in mindless surprise that she splashed a bit of whiskey on her blouse.

... _Fricking perfect._ Could the day possibly get any more frustrating?

* * *

After a full two hours spent mingling and talking and drinking too-expensive liquor, Summer piled into a car with Thor, Lukas, and Aemilia, and Bucky stayed behind to make sure all the guests left and nobody lingered where they shouldn't. After the others drove off and headed on their way, Bucky got ready to hop on his motorcycle and head home himself.

It was just as he approached the bike in the parking garage that his phone rang in his pocket. He pulled it out and furrowed his brow at the unlisted number flashing on the screen, and then he pressed the answer button and put the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

A quiet and shaky voice then said from the other line, " _They know where she is and they're coming now._ "

Bucky stopped dead in his tracks and every muscle in his body tensed as those words and their weight sunk in. Gripping his phone nearly tight enough to break it, Bucky hissed, "Who is this? What did you say?"

Then the line went dead. Bucky yanked the phone from his ear and immediately started dialing Thor's number, jumping on his bike and gunning the engine as he cursed in two different languages and felt the sickening grip of fear and sheer terror tighten like a fist around his very heart.

* * *

"Oh please," Thor scoffed, rolling his eyes at his brother. "I am and have always been the better gamer, and you know this."

"Says the man who slips on his own banana peels in Mario Kart," Lukas rolled his eyes.

"Well, who _hasn't_ done that?" Aemilia asked, sitting between Lukas and Summer in the backseat while Thor sat up front next to the driver. "I've seen you do that yourself, Lukas."

Lukas shot his wife a scandalized look and asked, "Whose side are you on, woman?"

"The side of the truth!" Thor bellowed.

Summer chuckled and chimed in, "Well, I bet I could beat _all_ of you. I'm pretty deadly with a green shell."

"Oh!" Thor laughed. "A new challenger approaches!"

As the others laughed and continued bickering playfully amongst themselves, Thor felt his phone vibrating next to his leg and grabbed it, furrowing his brow when he saw six missed calls from Bucky and one incoming. He hit the button and put it to his ear as they crossed an intersection, but befor he could get a word out, a car seemingly shot out of nowhere and slammed into his side of the car, sending the vehicle spinning across the mostly empty road until another one slammed into it from the opposite side. Then the first car rammed into them again, pinning them in place along with the other car.

It all happened within the blink of a horrifying eye. The car was reinforced and bulletproof, so it remained intact and its occupants unharmed, but the minute the car stopped spinning and the reality of what had happened sunk in, everyone stared at each other with their arms thrown out and bracing themselves on whatever parts of the interior they'd managed to grab during the crash. Lukas was holding Aemilia back like a second seat belt, and Summer stared at them in horror as Lukas half-shouted, "Is everyone all right?"

Nobody was able to answer before Thor's sudden and panicked shout of, "Everyone, _get down!"_ , and the next thing Summer knew, Aemilia had ripped off both of their seatbelts and threw her down to the floor of the car. Lukas threw himself over both of them a fraction of a second before the shooting started.

For all that Summer had experienced and endured since she had been thrown into her current life, nothing could have prepared her for anything quite like _that_. It was a classic ambush, and even bulletproof cars had to give at some point. After riddling the car with enough bullets to weaken the glass, their attackers ceased the seemingly endless assault and left an eerie silence in its wake.

Summer, trembling beyond her control and wondering if this was when her luck would finally run out, didn't move an inch. Thor and the driver drew their weapons and prepared to slip out as Lukas whispered to the girls, "Stay down and do _not_ leave this car."

Then he was gone, along with the other two men, and before the shooting began again, Aemilia gently instructed Summer, "Get your gun out."

Barely suppressing a sob of sheer terror, Summer reached under her skirt and drew the gun from her thigh holster. Then Aemilia told her, "Cock it and aim it at the door. If anyone opens it and it's not Lukas or Thor, shoot them. Don't think twice. Just pull the trigger."

"Okay," Summer nodded, adjusting her position so that she was still crouching down but aiming at the window with her still-shaky hands. The sounds of gunfire being exchanged ringing outside the car, Summer glanced behind her and watched with wide eyes as Aemilia slid out a large case from underneath the front passenger seat. She opened it and then pulled out an AR-15, attached a sling to it that was folded inside of the case, then loaded it with a full clip and waited alongside Summer. She did it all like she was a natural and had practiced this a thousand times, and she probably had.

Summer blinked and took a deep breath, as much as she could when her lungs felt like they were collapsing in on themselves. Then it felt like they waited for what seemed like an eternity.

The seconds crawled by, amplified by the sounds of the firefight happening all around them, and all the while Summer and Aemilia simply kept breathing and kept waiting. Then, to Summer's relief, the shots finally stopped.

But her relief was short-lived and ill-informed. When the door that her gun was trained at burst open, it was _not_ by Thor or Lukas. It was by armed, masked men, and adrenaline and instinct took over for her as she gasped and started shooting.

She killed the first man and shot the second in the arm. He fell back and then three more men emerged, but when she shot at them there were no more bullets left to fire. Aemilia prepared to fire but then one of the men grabbed Summer by her legs and yanked her out of the car kicking and screaming, using her as a shield, and Aemilia called after her in horror.

Lukas and Thor were pinned down and unable to help, and their driver was lying dead in the street alongside a number of the Triad men. Summer locked into self-preservation mode and used what Bucky and Natasha had been drilling into her head for months, breaking free of her assailant's grip and kicking him in the groin. But the very minute she was free, another man grabbed her from behind, this one with a knife pressed to her neck. She froze and squeezed her eyes shut, then let out an involuntary cry of fear when more shots rang out. The man holding her crumpled without a sound and hit the ground, dead from three gunshots to the head. Summer spun around and found Aemilia and her AR-15 to be her savior.

Then Aemilia shouted two desperate words - _behind you!_ \- but before Summer could blink the butt of a gun was slammed into the back of her head. She saw stars and collapsed to her knees, but she didn't stay down for long. Ears ringing and eyes seeing double, she tried to get back up to keep fighting and had halfway risen when a stinging, hot pain pierced the side of her neck. Thinking she was shot, she cried out in pain and slapped her hand to her neck, unaware that the bullet wasn't meant for her and had only grazed her. It continued spiraling through the air and hit its intended target, who didn't make a sound when it penetrated their body.

Lukas, however, _did_ make a sound. Witnessing it happen before his very eyes, he let out an anguished and throat-ripping scream of horror and snapped the neck of the man he'd been fighting without hardly feeling it. Then he shot two other men without even really looking - including the shooter himself - and sprinted towards his wife.

Summer watched in horrified disbelief as Aemilia looked down and watched the trickle of blood flowing from the lower right side of her abdomen. She touched the wound with her hand, eyes slowly widening as if she simply didn't believe it at first, and then she dropped her rifle and would have hit the ground right along with it had Lukas not caught her when her legs gave out.

By then, the fight was over. Most of the attackers were dead or gone, only two left whom Thor had on their knees and staring down the barrel of his gun. He himself stared at his sister in law with that same broken, twisted sort of agony that was on Lukas and Summer's face, only moving when Lukas screamed at him to call 911.

Then Lukas turned back to Aemilia and her rapidly paling face, tearing off his jacket and using it to staunch the bleeding as he told her, "You're going to be fine, do you hear me? I promise you, you are going to be _fine_."

Aemilia shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks as she stared up at Lukas, breathing rough and labored as she gasped, "I'm sorry, Lukas. _I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry_."

He shook his head adamantly amid her chanted apologies. "No. No, Aemilia, don't you dare say that."

She simply sobbed more, still saying she was sorry over and over with increasing desperation, until her eyes eventually rolled back in her head behind her eyelids and she lost consciousness. Whether it was from the blood loss or trauma or both Lukas and Summer didn't know, and Lukas began trying to rouse her with increasing panic as he continued to cradle her in his arms and Summer tried to stifle the considerable bleeding. He lightly but no less frantically tapped at her her cheek, murmuring amidst tears, "No, no, _no, no_ , baby come on, stay with me. Keep looking at me, _Aemilia!"_

Then Summer heard the familiar roar of a motorcycle as it came racing their way. She looked up in time to watch Bucky arrive and hit the brakes, stepping off of his bike before it had come to a complete stop and first looking to her before his eyes moved to the terrifying sight of Lukas holding a bleeding and unconscious Aemilia. His face paled in shock, bright blue gaze glistening with immediate unshed tears before twisting into nothing short of sheer, terrifying, unyielding rage as he turned towards the two men whom Thor had subdued.

He marched up to the first man and yanked him up by his hair and pulled him to his feet, growling, "How did you people do this?" He then wrapped his deadly fingers around the column of the man's neck and squeezed just enough to cut off his air supply but not inhibit him from speech. " _Tell me_ who your informer is or I'll _rip_ your _fucking_ head off."

The man simply smiled in derision. "You will rip my head off either way, won't you, Captain?"

Bucky then snarled and didn't hesitate to grab the man's head and twist it like he was made of straw, killing him in less than a heartbeat. Then he let the body crumple to the ground and turned to the next man, who unlike the first was younger and had true fear in his eyes. As he should.

Bucky didn't even have to speak before the man - boy, really - was spilling his guts. "I don't know! I don't know who it is, none of us do. Only _he_ knows. _Please_ don't kill me, _please_."

Bucky pulled his gun free from inside his jacket and knelt down before the man, grabbing him by the back of his head and pressing the barrel into his neck. The man whimpered and Bucky growled lowly, "You tell _him_ something for me. Tell him that I don't care where he goes or what he does, or how much he builds up his fucking army against me. You people have come into my home and attacked my family, and now you've hurt my sister. I'm not gonna stop until him and the rest of his godforsaken fucking family suffers a slow and painful death. Every last one of them. And tell him that's not a threat. It's a _fucking promise_." Then he harshly shoved the man away and hissed, " _Go_."

The man scrambled to his feet and ran away as quickly as he humanly could just as the first ambulance arrived. Bucky turned to Thor and told him to get Steve on the phone as quickly as possible, so that SHIELD could take jurisdiction over the crime scene, and then he walked towards Summer as paramedics descended upon Aemilia.

Summer was still on her knees, the flesh there bleeding from the pavement tearing it up. She'd watched Bucky kill the first man and give his message to the second, and now she was watching Aemilia be carefully loaded onto a stretcher with a vacant, empty look in her tear-stained eyes. She didn't move until she felt two strong, safe arms wrap around her and physically lift her up to her feet.

She looked up and felt her sense of reality return as she stared into her husband's fierce blue eyes. He looked her over and his eyes widened in panic when he saw the blood on her neck.

" _Fuck_ , were you hurt? Summer, answer me," he said frantically, checking the tiny wound on her neck and thinking the worst.

"No, no, I'm fine," she replied, voice coming out a lot more shaky than she intended. "I think it - it just -"

"Grazed you," he said with relief, closing his eyes before taking her by surprise and pulling her against him in a hug - the first one that he had ever initiated with her. "I'm sorry I wasn't here," he murmured against her ear, making fresh new tears sting her eyes.

Then he pulled away and shared a moment of poignant eye contact with her before taking her hand and walking her over to where Lukas stood watching helplessly as his poor pregnant wife was moved into the back of the ambulance. Bucky reached out with his free hand and took Lukas' shoulder, telling him, "She's gonna be okay."

Lukas, crying freely and openly with his spirit utterly crushed, let out a soft sob and said, "She might be. But our baby... how can it survive that?"

Summer's face crumpled and she looked away, not wanting to make things worse or any harder for Lukas. Bucky, barely holding himself together but doing it for Lukas' sake, replied, "I don't know. But go and get in there with her. We'll be right behind you."

Lukas nodded, turning to Bucky and saying in a much flatter, more dangerous voice, "This is... they crossed a line. That man _aimed_ for her belly." His laser-sharp green gaze flashed with thirst for vengeance. "We've never once targeted their children. Not _once_."

"I know," Bucky replied. "But I promise you, I'm not gonna stop until they're all dead."

"Good," Lukas said, setting off towards the ambulance. "Because neither am I."

Then he climbed into the back of the ambulance and one of the medics closed the doors behind him. As the ambulance set off, Bucky led Summer to his bike and climbed on, looking up at her expectantly.

She'd never been on a motorcycle before, but she had simply been through too much in the last mere fifteen minutes to be scared of riding one for the first time. And most importantly, she was with Bucky now, and she felt safe again.

With his hand steadying her, she got on the back of the of the bike and wrapped her arms around his middle. He kicked on the engine and then they were moving, following the ambulance, and Summer closed her eyes and buried her face against his back, crying silently but hard enough to make her very bones rattle.

Those men had been after _her_ , because of what _she_ had done and whom _she_ had killed. But she hadn't paid the price for her own sins. Instead, the driver was dead and now Aemilia was shot, and she might lose a baby for a second time.

She'd never felt such a consuming, heavy, and inescapable sense of guilt before in her life. She prayed that Aemilia and her baby would beat the odds and be okay, and if they weren't... the consequences were simply too terrible to imagine.

She didn't know, but Bucky could feel her trembling and crying behind him. She also didn't know that he was crying too, just as silently and just as deeply.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Hey everyone! Aaaaaand we're back following the heart attack I gave everyone last week :D I won't ramble too much here since I imagine you're all ready to resolve the cliffhanger, BUT a few things: #1 I love al of you SO MUCH and OMG we broke 500 reviews in just 13 chapters! That is FANTASTIC and I am incredibly grateful to each and every one of you, including those of you who don't review :D #2 I also love midnightwings96 for being AMAZING as always and helping me out with this chapter and EVERY chapter and always being there to help me and listen to me ramble at every turn AND FINALLY #3 I hope you guys like this chapter and I look forward to hearing from you guys! *hugs all of you forever***

When Bucky pulled into the visitor parking section at the hospital, he wasted no time in killing the engine of his bike and getting off first, holding out his hand to help Summer get back to her feet. She wiped at her eyes first, her face a mess of tears and ruined makeup, and when she took his hand and climbed off the motorcycle, she immediately stumbled and he caught her.

"Hey," he said softly, holding her up against him as she clutched at his jacket. He briefly cupped her face, looking over the still-pale color of her skin and the devastation on her face, asking, "Are you sure you're okay?"

She sighed and shook her head, briefly touching the back of it and replying, "Yeah, I just... I got hit on the head, but -"

"... Shit," Bucky hissed, briefly looking around and then bringing his hands to the back of her head to inspect it. His fingers gently pressed on the sensitive flesh, finding a sizable bump that made his eyes narrow as he asked, "What happened?"

"One of the... one of them hit me with their gun," Summer replied as his hands fell away. "But I don't even feel it."

"That's because you're still in shock," he replied. "You need to get checked out."

Summer grimaced and shook her head. "I don't want to. I'll be fine, it's just a -"

" _No_ ," he interrupted, leaving absolutely no room for argument. "You're getting checked out. I'm not taking you home until you do."

She blinked at the sudden authoritative tone of his voice, and any inclinations she had to argue dissipated instantly. She nodded and then cast her eyes down to the ground as he began walking them inside the hospital's main entrance. He held her hand the whole way, but she barely noticed.

The minute they stepped inside of the building, the smell of disinfectant and despair overcame her senses and triggered automatic reflexes that she absolutely did not need to deal with at that current moment. Already in the midst of a _very_ traumatic experience, the distinct smell of the hospital instantly took her back to a handful of her earliest memories, so fuzzy that she couldn't really _see_ them but she could _feel_ them.

Suddenly she was a little girl again, watching a semi-truck crash headfirst into her parents' car and kill her mother and brother. She couldn't remember visiting her comatose parents in the hospital following the crash but her subconscious did, associating the smell with death and loss and confusion and pain, and then she saw Aemilia being shot before her very eyes again. She saw the blood and felt the shock all over again, having no idea if Aemilia was okay or if her baby was gone, and on top of all of that, Summer herself had killed a man for the second time that night.

For a few long, several moments, she simply wasn't _there_. Her mind swirled with panic and fear and dread, terrible memories both new and old colliding and leaving her breathless, and when she came to, she was huddled on the floor in an empty hallway. Bucky was crouched in front of her, his face slowly coming into focus along with the words that he was slowly speaking to her.

"Summer," he said quietly and firmly, holding both of her hands in his own, " _look at me_. Breathe. You've _gotta_ get a hold of yourself."

She shook her head, teeth chattering as if she was freezing. "I killed someone again."

"Hey," he whispered, getting closer to her and squeezing her hands urgently, "don't say that. Not here. You can't say things like that in public, okay?"

She nodded, cheeks flushing with embarrassment and tears filling her eyes again. "S-sorry."

He frowned and, taking note of her trembling, took off his suit jacket and draped it around her shoulders. "It's okay. Just trying to keep you out of trouble," he said, trying to offer her a tiny smile to make her feel a little better. She drew in a deep breath and his tiny smile fell as she held his jacket tighter against herself, and he prepared to tell her a few things she surely didn't want to hear but _needed_ to.

"Listen," he said softly, glancing down at her knees, roughed up and scabbing from their contact with the pavement. "Later on you can fall apart if you have to. A lot happened tonight and I know how hard it is to get up and keep going. But you have to. This is your life now, Summer."

"... I don't think I can keep doing it," she admitted. "It's too much. And if Aemilia... if... because of _me_ she loses her baby..."

"It won't be because of you," Bucky told her. "It'll be because men who want _all_ of us dead got a clear shot at her and took it."

She shook her head, tears spilling over again. "But they wanted _me_. They -"

"Summer," he interrupted her gently, "I'm only gonna say this one more time. _It wasn't your fault_. Now you can choose to believe me or tell me to go to hell - it's up to you. But either way, you've gotta stop crying and get back up because right now they need us. _Lukas_ needs us both." He reached forward and softly wiped her tears away, a tender and sweet gesture that she hadn't anticipated. Then, eyes locked with hers, he told her, "I know it's too much. But it's what we do."

And to Summer's surprise, his words pulled her back from the brink of temporary madness and into reality. Not only did he speak the truth when it was hardly the easiest thing to do at that moment, but the _way_ that he spoke them and the words that he chose - _it's what we do_ \- placed them on equal terms and showed how significant he considered her role in his family's life to be. They were in this together, and even though she could tell how hard all of this was for him to handle, he was _handling_ it. And that was what she needed to do, too.

Aemilia's words from Summer's wedding floated through her head just then, the ones about playing a part in order to get through something terrible. She took a deep breath and dried her eyes again, her shivering calming down as she forced herself to reclaim some self-control. Just as Bucky said, there would be time to fall apart later. For now, there was things to do.

"Okay," she said, her voice steady for the first time since the attack had occurred. She nodded at Bucky and he nodded back, standing back up and reaching down to help her up with both hands. Once they were both standing again, Summer linked her arm with his for support and took one more deep breath before they started walking again.

Bucky led them to the emergency room. The waiting area was quiet that night and hardly full, just a handful of folks waiting to be seen or waiting for word on a loved one. There was, however, one man who was absolutely out of his mind and in the midst of begging the nurse at the front desk to at least give him some kind of clue as to his wife's condition.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Montgomery," the nurse replied sympathetically, "but I just don't know anything yet. They took her to imaging for a CT scan, like I told you. I promise you, I'll let you know as soon as I'm updated."

Lukas, leaning over her desk and close losing his last shred of sanity, replied brokenly, "I know, I just... I want to be with her. I _need_ to be with her. If she wakes up and she's alone or surrounded by doctors, she's going to be absolutely _terrified_."

"I can assure you, sir, that she's in the best hands in the whole city," the nurse told him. "They're going to give her the best care possible. And as soon as I can, I'll let you back with her."

Lukas nodded, blinking a few times and asking. "Can I see the doctor? Can I just... can I ask if -"

As the nurse's face fell because they both knew the answer would be no, Bucky and Summer quietly approached Lukas from his left. Bucky put a hand on Lukas' shoulder and told the nurse, "He understands. Just keep us updated, please."

"Of course I will," the nurse smiled back, and Bucky put his arm around Lukas' shoulder to steer him away from the front desk and towards an empty corner of the waiting room, Summer following just behind. The others present in the waiting room politely kept their eyes averted and didn't gawk as Lukas ran his hands through his hair and slightly pulled on the strands as he muttered, "I can't do this."

Summer hugged her arms around herself as she watched Bucky clench his jaw and watch Lukas start pacing back and forth in the small corner that they were in. "Look," Bucky said gently, "We're -"

Lukas suddenly stopped and stared hard at Bucky as he interrupted, "I was standing right there and I let myself get distracted. If I had just been paying attention to _her_ and protecting _her_ , this wouldn't have happened. How am I ever going to look her in the eye again if we lose _another_ child and it's _my_ fault?"

Bucky faltered for a moment, clearly struggling for words to say that would mean a damn thing in a situation as hideous as this one. "Lukas..."

"All of this comes back to me," Lukas said, again raking his hands through his hair, painfully by the looks of it. He stared off into space and his broken expression became slightly vacant as he muttered, "This _always_ happens to _every_ person I've ever loved. _You_ know. You've been there. You've seen what always happens."

Summer, having no idea what was being referred to, glanced at Bucky as he blinked and shook his head. "But that was because your father -"

"Yes, my father," Lukas spat, "and then once he was gone I thought things would be different, but they're not, are they? I'm a _fucking curse_. I'm useless and weak just like that miserable old man always said and -"

Bucky then clenched his jaw and grabbed Lukas by the shoulder, dragging him out of the waiting room and into the hallway before his ranting garnered unwanted attention. Summer, a little wide-eyed and getting the distinct feeling that she'd be intruding by following them, took a shaky breath and turned around, briefly scanning the seats before sitting down and holding Bucky's jacket close to her chest.

Meanwhile, in the hallway, Bucky was half-glaring at Lukas as he said, "Don't you dare go down that road, Lukas."

"Why shouldn't I?" Lukas asked bitterly. "My wife was just shot in the street. My pregnant wife was _shot in the belly_ in the street while I stood there useless. Would that have happened if she wasn't married to me?"

"Listen to me," Bucky said lowly, warningly, "she _chose_ you. She knew from day one what she was signing up for, and she damn sure wouldn't have done that if she didn't think you were worth it. You know that."

Lukas shook his head and gave a cold, broken shrug. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't change anything. Don't you see? Everyone I love gets hurt eventually."

That was when Bucky's self control splintered and his emotions broke through his mask of strength. His blue eyes suddenly shimmering with tears that he wouldn't allow to fall, he whispered back in a voice tinged with old, eternal pain, "You think I don't understand that? You _know_ that I do. And look at what I let it turn me into."

Lukas stared at him for a moment, briefly rendered silent by the uncharacteristically vulnerable moment on the part of his closest friend. But then he blinked and his vacant expression deepened as he muttered, "Well, maybe you've been right all along. Maybe men like us don't deserve to be loved. Look at what happens when we are."

"No," Bucky shook his head. "No, I don't accept that. Not for you. You can't let this destroy you like that. She's alive in there and she needs you, no matter what happens." When Lukas said nothing, Bucky grimaced and pleaded quietly, "Don't do what I did. Don't... don't take all that guilt and build a giant wall with it. _Please_ don't do that."

As Lukas stared at him and neither man said another word, Summer quietly poked her head around the corner and cleared her throat softly. "Um... the nurse said the doctor's ready to let you back now."

Lukas' eyes widened and he all but tore off, his and Bucky's conversation forgotten as he ran back to the nurse's desk as quickly as he could. When Bucky made to follow, Summer told him, "She said it's just family right now. So we're gonna have to wait."

Bucky paused and frowned. "Did she say anything about her condition?"

Summer shook her head. "No. I asked, but..."

Bucky sighed and nodded, scrubbing his palm over his face and his eyes before he let out a deep breath and looked Summer over. "Then let's get you checked out while we wait."

Summer cringed but nodded anyway, knowing there was no arguing with him anyway. She followed him back into the waiting room and then got a clipboard with paperwork from the nurse before sitting down next to Bucky and filling it out.

She got through the easy stuff like her name and address before she stalled at one question and blinked at it. Bucky noticed and peered over, reading the question and then muttering quietly, "Put down that you were in a car accident. Easiest explanation."

She nodded and then filled out the rest of the paperwork accordingly. After she turned it in, it was only about five minutes before a different nurse arrived to take her to triage and assess her injuries.

When Bucky got up to follow her, the nurse briefly glanced at him and said, "We only let family back."

Summer paused and Bucky immediately fixed the nurse with a hard, intimidating glare as he replied, "She's my _wife_."

The nurse went a little wide eyed. "Oh. Sorry, come on back."

He merely rolled his eyes and continued on his way, at her side, and Summer wondered why that particular moment felt like so much more than it seemed to be on the surface. Maybe she was just crazy or overwhelmed from the day's events, but if nothing else she was immensely grateful for Bucky staying by her side through it all.

The next half an hour or so passed by in a blur. Summer was examined by two different nurses and a harried doctor, and they took blood from her also took X-rays to check for a concussion. When one of the nurses came in bearing a small cup meant for a pregnancy test, Summer turned several shades of red and stuttered that the test was very unnecessary because pregnancy was _impossible_ , but the nurse insisted and made her do it anyway. Summer wouldn't have been so flustered if Bucky hadn't been sitting there watching her the entire time, silently somewhat enjoying her peril.

While they waited for Summer to be cleared, Lukas texted Bucky that Aemilia was still knocked out but stable. The bullet had gone clean through and missed her vital organs, thank God, but she'd lost a lot of blood and infection and general stress upon her body were major concerns. The doctors had detected a fetal heartbeat, but it was slower than what was normal for a baby of its gestation. They would be performing an ultrasound within the hour to check on the baby, and until then all Lukas could do was sit at his wife's side and wait. Waiting was all _any_ of them could do.

In the midst of Summer's own waiting, Lizzie came bursting unexpectedly into her ER room and proceeded to nearly injure her further with the ferocity of her hugs. Apparently she'd been calling Summer for hours with no answer, and she only found out what happened when she caught Frieda rushing out the door of the manor to head to the hospital.

"I'm okay, Mom, really," she assured Lizzie once she finally pulled away from her and she could breathe comfortably again. "I was lucky. Really lucky."

Lizzie, with tears in her eyes, patted Summer's cheeks and then glanced at Bucky before stunning him by crossing over to him and then throwing her arms around _him_. Bucky's eyes widened and he looked at Summer in alarm, arms hanging awkwardly at his sides, but Lizzie didn't care.

"My God, I don't know how much more I can take," Lizzie admitted, pulling away. "But I'm so glad you two are okay. And thank you for looking out for my baby."

Bucky stared up at her, still wearing that stunned expression as he nodded to her. Then she turned and looked towards both of them as she asked, "What about Aemilia? Frieda said she was hurt and she was almost hysterical when I saw her."

Summer opened her mouth to tell Lizzie the story, but no words came out. She suddenly realized that she simply couldn't bear to put it all into words, and somehow Bucky understood this and took that burden from her and told Lizzie what happened instead.

As Lizzie became as horrified as Summer was with each new word that Bucky spoke, Summer wondered just how much more of this all of them could take. So much had happened in the short time that she'd been married to Bucky, and it didn't seem like anything would be improving any time soon. The Triad wasn't going anywhere, and they still wanted Summer dead. They'd shoot through anyone in their quest to get to her, it seemed, and she'd already watched two amazing friends of hers - Sam and now Aemilia - be shot and hurt because of it.

She'd never handled guilt well. She'd once broke a friend's phone in college and cried over it for a solid hour because she felt so horrible over it, but she'd never been the cause of grave injury or worse. Now that she was, she didn't know how to even begin handling it.

But like Bucky said, she'd have time to fall apart later. She had to keep it together awhile longer.

Soon after Lizzie arrived, Summer was cleared by the doctor. By some miracle she didn't have a concussion, but he suggested rest and a copious amount of ice for her head bump. She signed the hospital release form and then was free, but rather than leave, Lizzie headed back to the waiting room where Tony was and Summer and Bucky headed to Aemilia's room. According to Lukas' latest text, she was awake now.

Summer's stomach fluttering with unpleasantly anxious butterflies, she and Bucky approached Aemilia's room on the labor & delivery floor. Bucky knocked on the door quietly and then opened it, cautiously peering inside first. Then he opened the door fully and motioned for Summer to go inside first.

As soon as she did, the sight lying before her nearly brought her to tears all over again. Aemilia was lying in the bed as pale as a ghost, oxygen mask over her face and eyes closed. She wasn't crying currently but her cheeks were stained with the tracks of shed tears. Lukas was on her right side and Frieda at her left, and there was a female doctor in the room setting up an ultrasound machine. If the doctor objected to two non-family members being present, she didn't say anything about it.

When Bucky closed the door behind them, the soft noise made Aemilia's eyes flutter open. She looked up and saw Summer standing there and then blinked a few times, reaching up and pulling down the oxygen mask as she croaked, "Oh, thank God you two are here."

Frieda stood up and gestured to Summer, offering her seat to her as she moved around to Lukas' side. Summer, with tears already springing to her eyes, nodded gratefully to Frieda and walked to the seat with Bucky just behind her. She sat down and forced a smile as she half-whispered to Aemilia, " _I'm so sorry_."

" _No_ ," Aemilia sighed, reaching forward to take Summer's hand. "You have nothing to be sorry for. And neither do you," she added, looking up to Bucky. "It's like I just told Lukas before you came. We're all in this together. And I know the dangers of living the way that we do. I won't _let_ any of you blame yourselves. So don't."

Summer gave Aemilia a watery smile and squeezed her hand a little. "How do you feel?"

"Like I got hit by a truck," Aemilia sighed. "But it could be worse, I suppose."

"All right, we're all ready," the doctor said, gently interrupting as she scooted over the ultrasound machine. Summer got up from her seat quickly and the doctor took it instead, asking Aemilia as she got settled in, "Do you want some privacy for this?"

Aemilia took a moment and glanced to her right, where Lukas, Frieda, Summer and Bucky now were. "No," she decided, shaking her head. "I think I need all the support I can get."

"Okay," the doctor smiled. "Well, then let's get started."

A clear and heavy tension fell over the room as the doctor prepped Aemilia and exposed her tiny little round belly, smearing cold goo all over it and getting the ultrasound wand ready. Lukas held Aemilia's hand and looked like he might be sick, almost paler than Aemilia herself, but Aemilia had a resigned sort of darkness about her. There wasn't any visible hope in her eyes, and Summer thought that she just might expect to look at the ultrasound screen and see nothing. Maybe she was expecting her first loss to happen all over again, only this time it wouldn't be a tragic yet natural loss but rather one caused by their enemies.

Summer glanced up to Bucky, standing completely still at her side. His expression was hard and determined, as if he was trying to will Lukas and Aemilia's child back into full health. Summer glanced down and then linked her arm with his again, half to lean on him and half because she craved the closeness. Her stomach was twisted up in knots and she felt as sick as Lukas looked, and she felt lightheaded as the doctor began the ultrasound.

Aemilia stared at the screen, expression still sort of blank and resigned. Lukas stared at it with tears barely held back, clutching Aemilia's hand like his life depended on it. Frieda, calm but worried, had her hand on her son's shoulder.

The doctor watched the screen herself, twisting and turning the wand and looking for the baby wherever he or she was. A few moments of static stretched by and made the tense air feel even thicker, nobody in the room saying a word.

Then a rhythmic beating sound filled the room, and the doctor said, "Finally. Little thing was hiding from me."

Aemilia's eyes widened and the blank look fell from her face, a glint of hope finally surfacing in her hazel eyes as they searched the screen frantically. Just a little more maneuvering and then the outline of a tiny human being appeared on the screen, sixteen weeks gestation and looking much more like a human now than an excited shrimp.

And the heartbeat was strong, no longer slow like it was a few hours before. The doctor switched to 3D on the monitor and then Aemilia's eyes overflowed with tears at the sight of her baby's little face.

"Looking good so far," the doctor smiled, glancing at the dumbfounded couple. "Heartbeat's good, no signs of distress."

Summer let out a deep breath and let her head lean against Bucky's shoulder as he visibly relaxed and let out a breath that he'd been holding the entire time. Frieda made a small sobbing noise of pure joy, bringing a hand to her mouth as her son and daughter in law nearly collapsed in a puddle of sheer relief.

Lukas, no longer able to hold back his emotions, dropped his head down to where his and Aemilia's hands were joined. He kissed her hand and let himself cry, and Aemilia let her own tears flow freely as she smiled at the screen. The baby was perfect and adorable and _alive_ , and just when the entire room thought that the moment couldn't get any better, the doctor asked, "Want to know the gender?"

Lukas' head flew up. "What?"

Aemilia's eyes widened. "You can tell already?"

The doctor smiled and nodded. "I can tell you if you want to know."

"Please," Aemilia all but gasped, looking at Lukas and then the others as she lit up with excitement.

Then the doctor took a picture on the screen of the evidence of the baby's gender and grinned, "It's a girl. And from what I can see, she's completely healthy."

Aemilia gasped again, a huge smile unfurling on her face. Lukas' jaw dropped and they looked at each other with shock and pure joy on their faces, the grim sadness and dread of the previous moments gone as the good news sunk in and lifted the spirits of everyone in the room. Summer straightened up suddenly, the knots in her stomach gone in an instant as Bucky's eyes became huge and he made a face that Summer looked up just in time to catch. It was the sweetest, cutest smile she'd ever seen on _anyone's_ face.

Aemilia and Lukas, meanwhile, were simply overcome with joy and relief. Lukas leaned and kissed her in exhilaration and she hugged him with one still-weak arm, giggling and weeping and silently thanking the very heavens above for sparing their innocent little child. Their _daughter_.

After a few more moments of quiet but ecstatic celebration, the doctor finished up the scan and began printing a number of photos from it. "So here's what we're looking at," she said, facing the couple and handing them the string of photos. "Obviously you've been through quite the ordeal, Mrs. Montgomery, and we're going to need to keep you awhile for observation. You're on bedrest for now and don't need to be getting up to do anything except go to the bathroom, okay?"

Aemilia nodded. "Okay."

"Okay. Just take it easy and try to rest as much as you can so you can heal and get back home soon. No work, all right? Take a vacation," the doctor chuckled. "If there's ever a time to eliminate stress as much as you possibly can, this is it. Your body's been through a tremendous shock and it's going to be awhile before you're feeling better."

"I understand," Aemilia nodded. "Is the baby... is she out of the woods?" she asked, being able to call her _she_ feeling almost surreal.

"Well, the placenta is intact and uncompromised, fluid is good, blood flow is good, heartbeat is strong... your body did its job in protecting the little one even while you were in bad shape," the doctor explained. "That's another reason why you need a nice long rest. You're gonna be working twice as hard to get better than you would if you weren't pregnant. So you," she turned to Lukas, "don't let her get up or try to sneak calls to the office or anything like that."

"Yes, Doctor," Lukas nodded solemnly, still smiling. "I will most certainly see to that."

"Good," the doctor smiled, standing up. "I'll check on you tomorrow, all right? For now try to get some sleep. Congratulations, guys. Lots of pink and purple in your future."

Aemilia and Lukas beamed with joy and bade the doctor farewell, and after she left the room descended into hugs and tear-tinged words of joy and relief. Summer hugged Aemilia as best as she could while leaning over the bed and Bucky did the same just after, getting teary again as he told his beloved _Mia_ how happy he was that she and her little baby were okay. Then Summer hugged Lukas, who was still beaming with pride and unimaginable relief, and it was soon after they settled down that Frigga gave an impromptu little speech to her family.

"I want all of you in this room to know how proud of you I am," Frieda said, sitting at Aemilia's side again and holding her hand. "Too often we face trials and horrors that would break the strongest of men, and yet we get up and we keep going. That is our defining trait as a family, more than blood could ever be. And this child, before she's even come into the world," she smiled at Aemilia, "has already proven that she's going to be a strong and extraordinary little person. I couldn't be more proud of you, Aemilia, and of _all_ of you."

Summer might have let a little tear drop in response to those words and to the way that Frieda nodded at her to make sure that she knew that she was proud of her, too. She wiped at her eye discreetly and then quickly shot Lizzie a text, letting her know that Aemilia and baby were both well and skipping the gender reveal, figuring Lukas and Aemilia would want to be the ones to tell that bit of news to everyone.

It didn't take long, however, for Aemilia to grow sleepy and have a hard time keeping her eyes open. Frieda told her goodnight and headed home first, giving her a loving hug and kiss on the forehead just before, and Summer volunteered to stay with Aemilia while Lukas stepped out briefly to grab coffee and make a call to Thor to check on how things were coming along on his end and to make sure that extra security forces were on the way. Bucky went with him, giving the girls a moment to themselves in the slightly cold, dimly lit hospital room.

"Ugh," Aemilia grimaced as she tried to get comfortable but couldn't thanks to her IV, heart monitor, and several other contraptions she was hooked up to. "I hate hospitals."

"Me too," Summer replied. "I had a really bad panic attack when we first got here. Just the smell of hospitals and everything about them... it's awful. And I was so freaked out and I didn't know if you were even gonna make it and..."

Aemilia gave Summer a sad smile and took her hand again. "Well, I'm not going anywhere. And I hope you know that I meant what I said earlier about not blaming you for any of this."

Summer nodded and squeezed her hand back. "I know, I just... I don't know what I would do without you."

"You would be fine," Aemilia said a little drowsily, sleep trying to pull her eyes shut. "You handled yourself beautifully tonight."

"Yeah, but you had my back," Summer pointed out. "You always do. Seriously, I... from the start of all of this, you've been this consistent... _rock_ for me, and I don't think I would have made it without you. I'm pretty sure I would have lost my mind or just run away if not for you."

Tears swimming again in her tired eyes, Aemilia smiled and then weakly held up her arm, inviting Summer in for a friendly embrace. Summer happily accepted, half crawling into the bed and hugging her from the side as Aemilia told her, "Well, I'm glad that I have you, too. It's strange to think that I ever _didn't_ have you in my life, to be honest. Nothing would be quite the same without you."

Summer smiled up at her and hugged her a little tighter, and just a moment later, Aemilia sighed and laid her head against the top of Summer's and fell asleep fast. Summer thought it was kind of adorable, and she didn't mind playing teddy bear to the poor exhausted woman. In fact, she was so tired herself that it wasn't long before she drifted off as well, not even realizing how sleepy she was until she was already asleep.

Meanwhile, just outside the room in the hall, Lukas had a cup of coffee in hand and turned to face his friend before they walked back inside the room. He took a breath and gave Bucky a small smile before telling him, "Thank you for everything you've done for us today. Especially for talking me down earlier when I was sort of... losing my mind."

Bucky managed a small smile back and nodded. "It's what you'd do for me." He paused. "You _do_ it for me. A lot."

"Yes, and you usually tell me to go do something rather crude to myself," Lukas pointed out, affection clear in his tone.

"Yeah, well... I still listen even when I'm a dick and act like I'm not," he replied. Then a brief moment of silence passed before Bucky added quietly, "I'm just glad she's okay. And the baby."

"So am I," Lukas sighed, the weight of the world and crushing grief now lifted from his shoulders. "And you were right earlier, about everything. I was just... having a moment of hysteria." He paused and then added, "But everything you said... it applies to you, too. If I deserve to be loved and have a woman like Aemilia and a family... so do you."

Bucky, of course, couldn't readily agree to that sentiment. But he didn't argue either, and when Lukas reached out and pulled him into a hug, he didn't try to squirm away or retreat. They weren't ones to hug often, but when they did, they meant it. And after the day they'd both had, they needed it.

After, Lukas patted Bucky's back and then drew away, they shared a brief smile before Lukas opened the door. Once he did, they both walked inside and then paused at the rather adorable sight of their wives apparently napping together. Aemilia was dead asleep and Summer's legs were hanging off the small bed, but she seemed rather comfortable curled up to the woman who was her indisputable best friend in the world.

"You know," Lukas whispered to Bucky with an affectionate smile on his face, "that's the second time today I've walked into a room and found them that close."

Bucky, who'd also been smiling a little - just a little - at the sight, furrowed his brows and asked, "When was the first time?"

"... I walked into Aemilia's office and found Summer on her lap," Lukas shrugged as Bucky's eyes went wide. "You know how girls are."

Bucky gaped a little. "... No, no I don't. Why was she on her lap?"

Lukas pretended not to hear the question and said with a grin, "Why don't you wake up your lady and take her home? I've a feeling Aemilia's done for the night, and there's no reason why you two should stay here and suffer. Go on home and get some sleep."

Bucky nodded. "Okay, but -"

"It's been a long day," Lukas interrupted again, still amused. "Maybe I'll tell you some other time."

Bucky opened his mouth to protest but snapped it shut instead, gritting his teeth and sighing. "Fine."

As Lukas grinned and then set his coffee aside on a ledge by the sole window in the room, Bucky walked over to the bed and reached out to gently shake Summer's shoulder. She only groaned a little in response at first, so he shook her again and said her name quietly. This time she woke up and opened her eyes wide, seemingly unsure of where she was until she glanced at the sleeping Aemilia and her husband, who was standing over her and telling her that it was time to get up and go home.

And so, after telling Lukas their final goodbyes, Bucky and Summer left the still-sleeping Aemilia and her husband to head home for the night. With the worst behind them and the day having at last come to an end, Summer climbed up on Bucky's motorcycle behind him and held on as he took her home, thanking God that for now, everyone she loved was safe and okay. She didn't know how many bullets they could keep dodging - literally - but for now, everything was going to be okay.

* * *

When Bucky and Summer came home, Bucky disappeared almost immediately into the "war room" - the room with all the computers and high tech gear where Summer had identified the man she'd shot at the gala a few weeks earlier. She wasn't surprised by his immediate disappearance, since after all there was a _lot_ for him to tend to following that night's attack. Natasha, Sam, Frieda, Steve and a few others were in that room with him, but he didn't leave Summer alone. Lizzie and Tony had followed them home, and both of them kept Summer company as she wound down for the night with a few much-needed glasses of whiskey.

It was going to take her a long time to process what had happened. The cars slamming into hers that had started it all, having to kill someone again, fighting a real opponent hand to hand for the first time, watching her best friend take a bullet... where could she even begin to start processing all of that? She was still trying to process everything else that had happened _before_ all of that, still trying to overcome her anxiety issues that had spiked tremendously following Brock Rumlow's attack and then when she had killed a man for the first time.

All of this was just... particularly distasteful icing on the horrible, terrible, hideously unwanted cake.

Once the wee hours of the morning were at hand, Summer gave up trying to mentally wrestle with it all and went to bed. Lizzie, as always, offered to stay with her but she - also as always - declined and insisted that she'd be okay on her own. She really thought that she would be, since she expected to just fall into bed and immediately lose consciousness, but she should have known that it wouldn't be that easy. Nothing that day, apparently, was going to be easy.

At nearly three in the morning, she found herself lying wide awake in bed, staring up at the ceiling and nearing her wit's end. Her stomach was in knots again and her heart felt like it wasn't beating right, but she knew that anxiety was the underlying cause of it all. She couldn't stop thinking about what had happened earlier, the sickening sound of chrome smashing into chrome, her finger pulling the trigger of her gun until every last bullet was discharged... watching the same bullet that grazed her neck strike the belly of her pregnant best friend.

Nearly on the verge of tears again, she sat up in bed and raked her fingers through her hair. She just needed to sleep, her body and her mind craved it like air, but she just couldn't find it. She'd fallen asleep so easily in Aemilia's hospital room, when they'd been half-cuddled to each other in the tiny bed together, but now she was alone and the room was too quiet and she just... she needed... _someone_.

Then an idea struck her. She blinked a few times and suddenly couldn't stop thinking about it once it occurred to her.

Ordinarily she would have talked herself out of such a thought and not even allowed herself to entertain the idea. But tonight was hardly like any other night, and she was so desperate for peace and comfort and _sleep_ that before she knew it, she was up and out of bed and quietly trailing down the hall, to a room that she rarely visited.

She knocked on the door softly, not even knowing if Bucky would be in there or not. Then she stood there and waited, fidgeting with the hem of her comfy, unimpressive black long-sleeved pajama shirt that she was wearing with her favored Batman shorts, and then she jolted a little when the door creaked open.

He was in there after all. And he was shirtless, clad in just a pair of dangerously low-slung dark pajama pants, looking as sleepless as she was but still incredibly handsome despite it. He blinked in surprise upon seeing her there, and she blushed a little as she admitted quietly, "I can't... I can't sleep. I thought I'd be okay, but... I just... I thought maybe you wouldn't mind if..."

He nodded, bringing her brief babbling to an end. Then he opened the door more fully and stepped aside, extending a wordless invitation that she took gratefully and equally silently. She stepped into the room and, the minute he closed the door behind her, she immediately felt some of her anxiety drop and all but dissipate into thin air.

She felt so much safer there than in her own room. Just the mere presence of her husband put so many of her nerves at ease, even if he also made her feel nervous in an entirely different way. But the security and peace that she felt with him couldn't be rivaled by anything else in existence, and when he walked in front of her and climbed back into bed himself, he looked up at her expectantly but still without a word. She smiled a little and then quietly made her way to the other side of the bed, crawling in carefully and slipping under the covers while maintaining a safe distance between them.

Both them sitting up, Summer glanced at him a little bit nervously and said, "I'm sorry to just... show up here out of nowhere tonight. I just..."

He shook his head immediately. "It's okay. I couldn't sleep either."

She nodded, looking down and mindlessly picking at the cover on top of her lap. "Yeah, today just... kinda destroyed me, I think. And you said I could fall apart later, but... now it's later and I really don't feel like I can do that. I'm just..."

"You're exhausted," he said gently, and to her surprise, he scooted a little closer to her. "You've done all that you can today. You need to sleep. We both do. Then we can deal with everything in the morning."

She nodded, blushing a little as she looked up at him and felt a rush of affection flood her veins and warm her from the inside out. "Thank you for everything," she said quietly, giving him a little smile. "You were... pretty amazing today. I don't know how you did it because I can't even imagine how hard it was for you, but... you really helped me earlier. So... thank you."

He nodded, making eye contact with her and holding it for longer than she could comfortably handle. She looked away but quickly looked back only to find him still looking at her, still staring into her eyes as if he... as if...

... She didn't even know. Everything about him was always so intense, and she could hardly decipher his quiet but potent looks. All she knew was that they made her feel like she was on fire inside, especially when she was so close to him _in his bed_ , under his covers with him.

"Well, um," she said, tucking her hair behind her ear and looking away to hide another blush, "I'm just gonna... try to get some sleep." She flashed him a brief smile and then crawled further under the covers, settling down and laying her head down on the pillow closest to her. At first she tried to lay on her back, but that felt awkward somehow and she opted to lay on her side, facing away from him.

That position felt awkward too, like she was being rude or something, but the truth was that she just didn't know what the proper protocol was. She'd fallen asleep with her head on his chest during the only other night that she'd slept in his bed, but she couldn't just assume that doing such a thing would be okay again. She _wanted_ to be closer to him but she had no guarantees that the feeling was mutual, so she simply stayed put and closed her eyes and...

... Opened them immediately when she felt the bed behind her shift and the warmth of his large, intimidating body inch closer to hers. Her ears started burning and her heart started racing as she blinked rapidly, wondering if she was dreaming or if he really was that close to her.

Then his arm slid around her waist and pulled her right against him, her body snug against his own, and she almost gasped out loud. She didn't, but she was barely breathing as he asked dangerously close to her ear, "Is this okay?"

 _Oh, if he only knew_.

"Y-yeah," she stuttered, barely above a whisper. He felt utterly _glorious_ like that, pressed against her and apparently having no qualms with being the big spoon to her little spoon, and the idea of her actually objecting to such a thing was beyond her comprehension.

As she laid there feeling like she was dying in the best way possible, she realized at some point how stiff and tense she was. Not wanting to send him the wrong message or scare him off, she took a deep breath and relaxed in his arms, closing her eyes and letting the tension slowly melt away. Then, just to make sure that he knew how very much she was on board with what was happening, she reached down and covered his arm with hers, laying her hand on top of his own. A silly smile spread across her lips when he allowed their fingers to interlock and then rest against her belly.

She closed her eyes again and felt like she could sleep for days like this. Anxieties a thousand miles away, she was halfway to dreamland when she heard and _felt_ his voice rumble, "Summer?"

Her eyes popped. "Yeah?"

He hesitated only a second or two before telling her, "You can sleep here whenever you want to. It doesn't... I don't mind."

She smiled again, biting her lip and then closing her eyes. "You don't?"

He shook his head. "As long as you don't steal the covers in the middle of the night."

She giggled quietly and wondered if he was smiling too. "Well, I don't _think_ I do. It's been a long time since I've slept with anyone, so..."

He flexed his fingers around hers and murmured, "It's all right." Then he added, "It's been longer for me."

She furrowed her brows and opened her eyes, gazing into the darkness of the room as she said unthinkingly, "But you and Natasha..."

"... We never slept together," he told her quietly. "Not like this."

"Oh," she replied, surprised. The more that she found out about their previous relationship, the more that she was surprised by how casual and emotionless it must have been. They seemed so close and compatible in every way, so why hadn't they had a more conventional relationship?

And what did it mean that he'd apparently never held Natasha and slept with her like this, but that he _was_ doing it with Summer?

He was such a complicated, bewildering puzzle of a man. She didn't even know where to start in figuring out how to piece him together to create a clear image of who he really was. But what she did know was that he was a remarkable man and so much more than she ever could have known back at the start of everything, when she had been terrified of him and feared him hurting her or even killing her.

Now here she was, laying in his bed and lying in his arms nestled to his body, fingers twined with his, and there was no better or safer place in the world to be. Everything felt right for once, and apparently he felt just as comfortable as she did because within only minutes, he was breathing evenly and asleep behind her, his every exhale tickling her ear and her neck just beneath it.

All she could do was smile and close her eyes, quickly drifting off to sleep alongside him, asleep and at peace at last. Across the city, Lukas and Aemilia were sleeping in much the same way in a much smaller, less comfortable bed, clinging to each other after their hellish day had nearly torn them apart.

The day had finally come to an end. There was no telling what the next day might bring, but whatever it was, they'd all face it together.

* * *

The following morning, a full hour past when Bucky usually awoke, he was pulled from sleep when the pillow tucked snugly under his arm began shifting and moving. But when his eyes fluttered open, he realized that his pillows had not, in fact, come to life, and that the soft, moving thing was his wife.

She was still asleep, but she'd been stirring and finding a more comfortable position. No longer his little spoon, she was now on her back and her head had lolled over towards him. Now his arm was slung over her stomach, his front pressed to her side, and her face was only inches from his. Her lips were parted softly and her face was so serene and so _pretty_ that it made his chest ache.

He swallowed hard and closed his eyes when he realized that he was watching her sleep. He wasn't the type the do things like that. He wasn't the type to hold a woman in bed and sleep next to her all night long, soaking up her warmth like he needed it to breathe, and yet here he was. And he didn't know what was happening to him.

Then his eyes flew open when she let out a huff of a breath and started talking softly in her sleep.

"... I don't wanna eat my peas," she mumbled, brows furrowing slightly. "Nicolas Cage spit on them."

He furrowed his brows and smiled with great amusement. At least she wasn't dreaming about gunfire and death. He found her disarmingly adorable like that, so close to him and still lost in her silly dreams, as beautiful as she was innocent. Before he realized what he was doing he was caressing her side gently, his thumb swiping softly over a sliver of skin that her shirt had slid up and exposed.

His eyes rolled shut soon after, and he started drifting back to sleep. He was so warm and comfortable where he was, holding her like that, and while he wasn't normally one to sleep in... he simply couldn't help it that morning.

He managed to steal twenty more minutes of sleep before Summer woke him up again. This time she did so by rolling off of her back towards him, throwing her arm over his bare chest and slinging a leg over his own. Her head was now pillowed on his chest and she was curled up around him like she did it all the time and it simply came naturally. He looked down upon her sleeping form, his arm naturally coming up to wrap around her, and she made a content little noise and burrowed even more deeply against him.

He sighed and closed his eyes again, feeling that now-familiar ache in his chest again. It seemed to grow and reach new heights the closer to him that she became, and it wasn't an entirely unpleasant ache. He didn't understand it and he didn't try to, instead just letting himself enjoy the feeling of being so close to another person.

But he didn't get to enjoy it long before she stirred again and began to wake up. He could tell the moment that she was fully conscious again, because he felt her eyelashes flutter against his chest and her entire body stiffen as she realized the position that they were in.

He didn't want the spell to be broken just yet, but it appeared that he simply couldn't stop it. She peeked up at him and flushed a deep, pretty shade of pink and murmured, "Oh, man... I'm sorry."

He simply gave her a sleepy half-grin and shook his head as he gazed down at her. "S'all right."

She merely blushed deeper and seemed to internally panic a bit, and that didn't surprise him in the least. She gently pushed off of him and slipped away, and he immediately missed her warmth once she was gone. She sat up next to him and took a breath, pushing her hair behind her ears and trying her best to appear casual even though Bucky knew she likely felt anything but.

"I guess I should, um... probably get going," she said, though she made no effort to remove herself from the bed just yet. Bucky didn't reply at first, sitting up himself and running a hand through his sleep-wrecked hair. He opened his mouth to answer when a jolt of pain shot through his spine and made his words die on his tongue, and he suddenly realized how stiff and painful his muscles felt.

This was hardly a new experience, and in fact he woke up like this rather frequently. But it was worse that day, probably due to the way that he had slept curled around Summer most of the night and thus not the way that he normally did, which was sprawled out over the entire bed. Most of the pain was centered in his back and shoulders, where it normally was, and apparently it was written on his face because Summer furrowed her brows as she watched him throw his legs over the edge of the bed and prepare to stand up.

He reached his right hand to the back of his left shoulder, pressing down on the muscle there and grimacing as Summer watched and asked softly, "Are you okay?"

"M'fine," he replied automatically, even though it was fairly obvious that he wasn't.

"Are you sure?" she asked, voice still quiet and cautious, like she was afraid of overstepping or making him mad.

"Yeah, yeah, I just... I wake up like this sometimes," he shrugged, glancing over his shoulder. "It's no big deal. I'm used to it."

Then he tried to straighten up fully, and another jolt of pain wracked through him that he couldn't hide. He groaned and wanted to curse his battered, over-worked body for feeling like one that belonged to a much older man, but years of sucking it up and pretending to never feel any kind of pain - physical or otherwise - left him unable to express this in any meaningful way.

Summer, however, could see the difference in how he was sitting. Normally he carried himself with grace and great self-control, but at that moment he was rigid and clearly suffering.

He was about to just get up and throw himself in the shower and turn it on the hardest setting so it could beat down on his muscles and ease the aches a bit, but he felt the bed shift behind him and heard a still-timid voice that made him stay put.

"I could... if you wanted, maybe I could... um... try to help?"

He froze where he sat, instantly confused and more than a little surprised. He didn't even know what she really meant until he suddenly felt two hands on his shoulders, just sitting there in an open offer.

"I'm no masseuse, but... I mean... it's better than nothing, right?" she asked, and he could tell without even looking at her how nervous she was.

He blinked a few times and looked over his shoulder, making eye contact with her and wondering if there was any possible way that he could say no to her. As it turned out, there wasn't.

"Okay," he nodded. She flashed him a shy but sort of excited smile, and then he turned his head back around and wondered why his heart was suddenly racing and why his skin felt much hotter than it actually was.

Then her small but determined hands began to move. She scooted a little closer to him for her own ease and comfort, and she began to slowly knead at the almost horrifyingly tight knots in his muscles. The first time her thumbs dug into one just under his neck, he furrowed his brows and dropped his head, biting back a groan of pain. It didn't feel good at all at first, but he didn't want her to know that.

But it didn't hurt forever. The more that she touched him and worked out the worst of the tension, the more that the pain started to turn into something else. She also grew more comfortable and less timid the longer that she touched him, and it was when her new slight confidence began to shine through that he let out his first moan of sheer pleasure.

And she immediately stopped. "Are... are you okay? Did I hurt you? Did I -"

"No," he groaned, eyes still closed and head slumped forward a bit. "No, keep going."

"Oh. Okay," she replied quietly, and he could almost _hear_ her blush. Her fingers started working again and this time he melted underneath them, letting out another sound that he couldn't control and getting lost in the way that her hands felt on his body.

It was so sweet and so innocent and yet in some sort of almost indecipherable way... _not_. He was aware of the sounds occasionally escaping his mouth and what they sounded like, and he was also more than aware of other ways that his body was reacting to what she was doing. He couldn't just blame it on general deprivation or frustration, either, because the woman behind him had crawled so deeply under his skin that he hardly knew when it had even happened. He tried so hard to keep her at arm's length and stay neutral in his treatment of her, and yet here he was letting her massage his aches and pains away after they'd spent the entire night sleeping in each other's arms.

Then, once she'd worked all of the tension out of his muscles and he was a pliant, relaxed mass of man under her hands, she smoothed her hands up his back and then ran them down his shoulders and over his upper arms. There was a clear shift in the air and he didn't move a muscle or say a word to dare ruin it, even as she ran her hands back up to his shoulders and pressed herself against him. He closed his eyes, feeling the outline of her breasts against his back through the fabric of her shirt and wishing he had a pillow to throw over his lap and disguise what she was doing to him.

She traced his _winter soldier_ tattoo between his shoulder blades with one hand while her other brushed his hair over to one shoulder, a few of the strands springing back despite her efforts. Then he thought he must have still been dreaming when he felt what had to be warm, soft breath on his neck, but he wasn't. He was awake and she was leaning in close, nervous and hesitating but determined, and then his world stopped spinning when he felt her lips press gently but hotly on his neck.

He froze and stopped breathing the minute it happened. His eyes flew open in shock and she completely misunderstood his reaction, her own eyes opening as she realized how completely stiff he suddenly was.

She pulled away and her hands were gone in an instant. "Oh God. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have - I just - _Oh God_."

Then she was scrambling off the bed and trying to run away, face hot with embarrassment and all of her courage withered to nothing. Bucky sat there and watched in horror as she all but dashed to the door, humiliated and probably mentally berating herself.

"Summer, wait," he called softly, getting to his feet as she neared the door.

"No, no, I'm sorry," she babbled mindlessly, shaking her head and reaching for the doorknob. "I just... got carried away and -"

... There was no way in _hell_ that he was gonna let her go like that.

She opened the door and he slammed it shut from behind her. She froze at his sudden proximity and he kept his hand pressed to the door, preventing her from leaving, and he leaned in close and murmured against her ear, " _I'm sorry_. I didn't mean to freeze up like that. I was just... surprised."

She was breathing hard, staring at the doorknob that her hand was still wrapped around. "It's okay. I just... I know you don't want me like that, so I shouldn't have just... done that."

Bucky furrowed his brows, wondering how exactly she was under _that_ impression. He'd been purposefully distant, yes, but he'd made very little effort to hide how attractive he found her. Suddenly needing to correct this grossly inaccurate assumption of hers, he dropped his hand from the door and instead brought both hands to her hips, gripping them as he growled softly against her ear, "What makes you think I don't want you?"

Now it was her turn to freeze. Her hard breathing ceased almost entirely and she continued to mindlessly grip the doorknob as she stuttered, "I... I thought..."

"You thought wrong," he told her, pressing himself fully against her and making her gasp, and he knew why. He was still rather _affected_ following her massage, and he wasn't ashamed to let her know it. He brushed her hair over one shoulder and skimmed his lips along her skin just under her ear, making her shiver as he added, "You have _no fucking idea_ what you do to me."

Then he pressed a kiss to her neck, just as she had to him, and he relished her reaction. She shuddered and her knees went weak, her hand slipping from the doorknob and both palms flying to the door to hold herself up. He grinned and slid one arm around her middle, holding her upright as he continued to kiss down her neck. He nipped gently at every new inch of skin that he touched, trying to find which spots were most sensitive, and a part of him could hardly believe that he was touching her like this. His heart was pounding and his blood pumping and his head was spinning, and all he wanted to was slam her into the wall and _take_ her and make her his and his alone.

... But he wouldn't dare let things move that fast. He found a part of her neck that seemed to drive her absolutely mad, gasping sharply and even moaning a little when he sucked on it just the right side of harshly and then flicked his tongue over it. She melted against him and reached a shaky hand into his hair, holding on to it and anchoring herself to him. Then he bit down on that little spot and she made a noise that set his very soul on fire, grinding herself back against him and making him groan and tighten his grip on her.

He cursed and, despite his desire for her, didn't let himself grind back on her. Instead he forced himself to stay still, breathing hard against her ear and slipping one of his hands slowly up the front of her shirt. His palm slid over her flat belly and ventured carefully upward, his voice coming out as a rough purr against her ear as he groaned, " _Please_ tell me this is okay because _fuck_ , Summer, I..." _I need you_ , he wanted to say but wouldn't allow himself to.

"Oh _God, yes_ ," she half-moaned, giving his hair a little tug and making him nearly lose it then and there. Self-control falling by the wayside, he let his hand move further up her shirt and gently groped her breast, wishing he could see the luscious flesh but still content to feel it instead. He'd wondered for what felt like forever just how soft and perfect she'd feel under his fingertips, how sensitive she was and how easily he could make her lose her mind, and now he finally got to have his first taste of that. She filled his hand perfectly, big enough to spill over his grip just a little bit, and he could spend hours worshipping those breasts of hers, he just knew it.

She arched into his touch, her nails scratching softly along the back of his neck as he let both of his hands into her shirt to play with her. All the while he controlled himself and didn't let himself search out any friction for himself, though he knew that she could feel much he wanted it and he could feel her own desperation. She whined with every touch and flick of his fingers, pushing back against him increasingly wantonly, and he couldn't bear to make her wait any longer. Whatever this was between them, it was _happening_ and they both needed it. And he wanted nothing more than to see just how much _she_ needed it.

He pushed her against the door, her free hand that wasn't buried in his hair scrabbling against the wood as kept one hand under her shirt and let the other drift lower. His fingers skimmed the waistband of those ridiculous Batman shorts that she liked so much as he resumed his attack upon her neck, marking her up so that she wouldn't be able to hide the evidence of what they'd done and who she belonged to. She squirmed against him and whimpered when he slipped his hand into her shorts and then into the little scrap of lace beneath.

As he took his time in tripping his fingers down lower, he asked roughly, "What color are these things?"

"... Black," she replied breathlessly, eyes closed and head resting back on his shoulder.

He made a hungry noise and stopped teasing her, slipping his fingers down and then growling when he found her hot and wet and desperate for his touch. He cursed and didn't waste a moment, making her gasp first and then moan out at the first few gentle circles of his fingers. Not only did she make some of the prettiest noises he'd ever heard, but she wriggled back against him rhythmically and increasingly hard, giving him some of that friction that he'd tried to keep himself from getting.

" _Shh_ ," he chided her, trying to hold her still as he continued to expertly play with her. "This door ain't very thick," he reminded her, whispering hotly in her ear. "Anyone could walk by and hear you right now."

"I don't care," she admitted, moaning and refusing to stop grinding back against him. It felt so good and he groaned in response, dropping his head down and finally letting himself rock with her a little bit. The minute that he did, she made a noise of pure pleasure and all but begged him, " _God_ , please don't stop."

"I'm not," he assured her roughly, passionately kissing her neck between words. "But if _you_ don't stop I'm gonna..."

"I want you to," she replied quietly, shyly, and those were the words that broke him. He cursed and pulled her even closer, finally letting himself grind on her and nearly losing his mind at the first full thrust of his hips against hers. It was too much and not nearly enough all at once, and as soon as he let his hesitance fly out the window, he was quickly overwhelmed and couldn't help but come at her with everything he had, chasing both of their pleasure like he might die if he didn't.

He drove them to the edge of bliss right there against the door, hand buried between her legs and mouth waging war on her skin as hips drove fast and hard and unrepentant against hers. He reveled in how responsive and noisy she was, every last thing about her meeting and exceeding his expectations and numerous fantasies, and he couldn't get enough. He wanted to take her to bed and strip her of every last stitch of clothing, lay her down and taste her _everywhere_ and then bury himself inside of her, but for now he had _this_. And _this_ , as rushed and spontaneous as it was, was even better than he ever could have known it would be.

He felt her tensing as she neared the edge, her body sweating and rocking and sweet little moans and gasps leaving her mouth, and he was right behind her. He could feel himself tipping over, about to make a mess in his pants like a lovesick teenager, and he needed her to come first and feel her gush on his fingers and know that _he_ was the reason why she was coming apart at the seams.

"Come for me," he gasped softly into her ear, tugging on the lobe and working his fingers almost frantically rapidly, making her head spin. " _Fuck_ you feel so good. C'mon," he urged, free hand slamming down on the door to support them both as he started seeing stars. "Come for me, baby."

That little term of endearment spilling from his lips before he could think better of it or even realize that he'd said it, it sent Summer nearly screaming over the edge. He covered her mouth with his hand at the last minute, not wanting her to be heard by the whole floor and be embarrassed for it later, and then he buried his face in her neck and was _gone_.

It was bliss and insanity and danger and heaven all rolled into one, and neither of them could believe that it actually happened between them. As they both came down and slowly returned to reality, her legs tried to give out and he caught her just before she could fall. His other hand was still between her legs, still stroking softly and his fingers utterly _drenched_ , and he was gently kissing along her jawline as he carefully withdrew his hand and met her eyes as she turned her head to look at him.

He didn't know what to say, and neither did she. Her clothes were askew, her hair a mess and her blue eyes dazed with pleasure, and the ache in his chest returned with a vengeance. She turned around in his arms, looking down at his bare chest and then up to his eyes, her arms slowly rising to wind around his neck. His hands were on her hips again, and when she bit her lip and smiled at him, he couldn't help but smile back.

Then she looked down at his lips, and he felt the ache in his chest turn into a sudden sense of panic. He froze and didn't move as she began to inch closer, but then the unthinkable happened - his phone rang. _Of course_.

They both jumped in surprise. Summer immediately yanked her arms away from him, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as he chose to ignore the phone for that moment. He simply sighed heavily and clenched his jaw, then reached up and brushed a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Sorry," he murmured. "I've gotta get that. Today's gonna be busy."

"Okay," she nodded. "I get it. Thanks for... uh..."

He shot her a lopsided grin, raising an eyebrow as she blushed even more deeply and cringed. "Yeah?"

"Um," she smiled, stepping away. "I'll just... go."

He nodded, glancing at her neck and admiring his handiwork upon it. She was gonna have to wear a turtleneck to have any hope of covering all of _that_ up. "All right."

"I'll, uh... see you later?" she smiled, reaching for the doorknob.

"Yeah," he nodded, still wearing that dumb grin of his.

"Okay," she giggled breathlessly, opening the door and lingering before stepping through it. "Um... okay."

He grinned at her as she bit her lip and blushed again before finally closing the door behind her. _God_ she was cute. And beautiful. And sexy enough to reduce him to grinding on her ass like an animal in heat and having his best and most mind-blowing orgasm in recent memory.

His phone rang again. He turned around and walked towards it, feeling light and sated and almost... sort of... maybe... a little... _happy_.

The very thought stopped him in his tracks. His smile fell off of his face and his eyes widened as he stared unseeingly at the phone, ignoring it again as he realized the full implications of _what the hell_ had just happened between himself and his wife.

In what had only been a matter of minutes, they'd done something that couldn't be taken back or undone. Nothing was ever going to be the same now, for better or worse, and he didn't know how to feel about that. He didn't know how to feel about _anything_ now that he was capable of thinking again.

... Just what exactly _had they done_?


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Well hellooooo my lovelies :D I gotta say I was dying to know what the feedback for last week's chapter would be and you guys did NOT disappoint. And 53 reviews for just that chapter alone came in! YOU GUYS HOLY CRAP. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH. That's incredible! I am just stunned that this story is getting the kinds of numbers that it is, and I know I've said this before but I am so grateful and it makes me SO HAPPY because midnightwings96 and myself spent a year talking about this story and plotting it and it just never fails to make my day to see our little baby so well received :p we are super duper proud parents LOL :D**

 **ANYWHO, my thanks to each and every one of you as usual for being the most incredible and stupendous readers an obsessive writer like me could ask for, and to midnightwings96 for just being invaluable as ever and just utterly amazing. Just to tease you all a little bit, I wanted to mention that I have a Christmas present in store for you guys :D it's a pretty substantial one too, and I'll be posting it probably on Christmas Eve. Next week's update should come on time as well, so keep your eyes out for good stuff ahead :D love you all and I'll see you soon!**

In Summer's bedroom, there was a full-length mirror hanging on her door. It served as a nice way to double check over her appearance before she left for work, and on this particular day, it provided her a full and complete view of her rather substantially wrecked appearance.

An hour earlier, she had stumbled out of Bucky's bedroom following the most surprising and amazing encounter of possibly her entire life, and she had made a beeline for her own room. With an idiotic smile stuck to her face, she had all but floated there like some girl out of a cheesy romantic comedy and then watched the next hour pass by in a blur. She had undressed and taken a shower, mentally reliving every incredible moment and replaying every word he'd said to her, pinching herself several times to check if she was, in fact, dreaming.

Now she was standing in front of that full length mirror on her door in just a towel, her outfit for the day laid out nearby on her bed, and she was staring at the plethora of dark, very obvious marks on her neck. She turned her head from side to side, gingerly touching each one and vividly recalling when he had given her each and every one.

... All she'd set out to do was give him a massage and help ease the aches and pains that a man of his young age shouldn't have had to deal with. But then she'd gotten all caught up in him and the way that his skin felt under her fingertips and his pleasured _moans_ had simply done her in. She couldn't even say what came over her when she let the massage turn into something else, when she'd leaned in and pressed a daring kiss to his neck and then promptly panicked at his reaction and tried to run away.

But he hadn't let her run away. He'd chased right after her and grabbed her and... _whispered_ things in her ear that she never in a thousand years expected to hear him say. And then he'd touched her and wreaked utter havoc on her neck and left her a quivering, satisfied, beautiful mess in his arms.

Now here she was, standing in front of her mirror and still smiling stupidly, still wrecked from him and his perfect mouth and talented fingers. He was simply perfect - broken, dangerous, haunted, but beautiful and _extraordinary_ \- and she knew that there was no saving herself now. She was doomed, screwed, damned, DOA, a total lost cause.

She was wholly, fully, dangerously and probably eternally in -

 _Knock knock knock._ "You in there, honey?"

Summer sighed and saved her life-changing epiphany for later. "Yeah, Mom, I'm in here. Hang on a second so I can get -"

The door burst open before she had a chance to finish that sentence, and Lizzie came strolling inside with an armful of food and a giant container of coffee. "So I figured you'd probably want to hide in here today and deal with all the, you know, horrifying trauma of yesterday alone but I decided to beat you to the punch and just bring breakfast to you. I have muffins and scones and turkey bacon and _oh my God, honey_! Did you get punched in the neck yesterday?!"

Summer cringed and turned the shade of a ripe strawberry, hurriedly closing the door behind her wide-eyed mother as she replied, "No, I didn't get punched in the neck. I'm fine."

"... Then why do you look like someone held you down and gave you like a million hickeys?" Lizzie asked, coming closer to take a better look at Summer's rather battered neck.

Summer slapped a hand over her neck and grabbed the coffee from Lizzie. "Calm down, Mom. I'm fine."

"You're not answering my question," Lizzie noted, dropping all of the food in her arm on a nearby table and then putting her hands on her hips as she glared at Summer. "What happened?"

Summer fidgeted on her feet but smiled, biting her lip and muttering, "Nothing, okay?"

Lizzie's eyes widened and she slapped a hand over her mouth rather dramatically. "Oh my God. You've got your slut face on."

Summer blushed even brighter and squirmed at the accusation. "No I don't!"

"Oh yes you do," Lizzie said, shock still apparent on her face. "Are those _actually_ hickeys?!"

Summer gave Lizzie all the answer she needed by groaning and smiling like a moron.

Lizzie gasped. "Wait a minute. If those really are hickeys and I'm right about the slut face... does that mean that you and Bucky..."

Summer grinned and squirmed even more and finally let out a quiet scream before she grabbed Lizzie's hands and pulled her to sit on the edge of her bed with her. "Okay," she said, facing her and about to explode if she didn't share the information soon, "so... yes, these are all hickeys - and bite marks - and yes, Bucky gave them all to me."

Lizzie gasped again and squealed with pure joy, her hands flying up to her face in excitement. "Oh my God! Tell me everything. Don't leave anything out. I have to know it all."

Summer told her everything - _well_ , almost everything, excluding just a few minor details that would have been uncomfortable to share with one's mother - and Lizzie sat and listened in rapt attention. Her eyes nearly fell out of her head at quite a few different points, and she squeaked and squealed more times than a teenage girl meeting her favorite boy band. By the time Summer got to the end of the story, Lizzie was all but dying.

"... So, yeah. His phone rang before I could kiss him, but..."

"All of that and you two _still_ haven't kissed?" Lizzie sighed, like it was the sole tragedy of the whole story. "Man, we've gotta fix that. But _holy crap_ , Summer! This is _amazing_! I'm so excited! And look at you - you're _glowing_."

Summer smiled and shook her head. "Well, I do have to say, it's a nice distraction from the hell I went through yesterday. I thought I'd be spending today curled up into a ball crying and rocking back and forth like a crazy person, but instead I'm sitting here dying inside. In the good way."

"Well, make sure you deal with all that crap from yesterday too, or else it'll come sneaking up on you at the worst possible time and you _will_ be rocking back and forth like a crazy person," Lizzie told her. "But what _is_ on the agenda today?"

"Oh, well, actually," Summer gestured to her phone sitting nearby on the bed they perched on, "Aemilia texted me after I got out of the shower. I'm gonna go see her and take her some things from her room that she asked for. And she said thank you for the flowers, by the way."

Lizzie smiled and replied, "You know, I told Tony we should just send something simple and then he sent her the biggest arrangement available _and_ a teddy bear. That man is incorrigible."

"That he is," Summer agreed with a smile, "but you sure seem to like him anyway."

Lizzie sighed and got a dreamy look about her as she replied, "Let me tell you, I feel like a teenager again. The whole no-sex-till-divorce thing is _not_ easy to stick to."

Summer made a face and muttered, "You know, Mom, I love how open our relationship is, but the idea of you and him doing... things... is pretty much the most disgusting thing I can possibly imagine. So please spare me the icky details."

"Well who _else_ am I gonna tell them too?" Lizzie huffed. "Well actually, I've been getting to know Frieda better lately, having tea and shopping with her and things like that. We've been bonding over our younger men. Even though she wins automatically because her younger man is younger than both of our kids."

"... Her and Pietro are hot together, not gonna lie," Summer said before getting up. "Okay, I've gotta get dressed and get going."

"Gonna break out the turtlenecks today?" Lizzie asked.

"Nope," Summer shook her head, grabbing her clothes from the bed. "I was gonna wear a scarf."

Lizzie grimaced. "You hate scarves. And they draw attention to your neck. Plus they get all hot and scratchy once you're inside somewhere and out of the cold."

Summer paused. "Well... whatever! I've gotta wear something and I don't even _own_ a turtleneck. So I'm gonna wear a scarf."

With that settled, Summer got dressed and finished getting ready for the day. She opted for jeans and knee-high black boots with a tall but sensible heel, a dark blue sweater and a black scarf that she tied around her neck and hid all the damage with. Lizzie laughed at her when she walked out her door like that, but what else was Summer supposed to do? Display the marks with pride? She'd _love_ to do that, but having to explain them to _everyone_ she encountered would have been exhausting.

She headed to Aemilia's room and walked inside without a second thought, spirits still quite high, and then she stopped in her tracks at what - or rather _whom_ \- she found inside their bedroom.

There was Bucky, grabbing clothes belonging to Lukas from their closet. He looked towards the door when he heard it open and then paused just as Summer did, blinking in surprise. "... Hey."

"Hi," she squeaked entirely too high pitched, heart falling into her stomach and then flying back up to pound excitedly and nervously in her chest. "I, um... Aemilia asked me to get her some stuff for her, so..."

"Yeah, Lukas asked me to do the same for him," Bucky explained, shoving the clothes he'd grabbed into a duffle bag. He eyed Summer's scarf with amusement and asked, "Cold?"

She blushed bright with mild embarrassment and smiled. "No... not really. I have, uh... other reasons for this," she said, tugging absently on the scarf.

He gave her that same crooked grin from earlier. "Can't imagine what those would be."

Blushing even more deeply now, Summer smiled back and then took a few steps closer to him. "Aemilia said something about a tote bag in her closet that I could use to put her stuff in?"

"Yeah," he said quietly, turning his attention back to the closet for a moment. Just a few seconds later he produced said bag, and Summer took it with a smile and a quiet words of thanks. He simply kept grinning at her like he thought she was the most entertaining thing on the planet.

She turned and put the tote bag on the bed, biting her lip and not even trying to wipe the smile off her face as she started grabbing the first few things Aemilia had asked for - reading glasses, phone charger, a few books from her enviable collection. She tossed them all into the bag and then headed over towards the large dresser, where most of the other things Aemilia had asked for would probably be located.

There were a few cute pictures sitting on top of the dresser, including one from Lukas and Aemilia's wedding and reception. Much larger, artistic photos from the event were on the wall, but the small ones sitting there weren't posed and they were adorable. Summer smiled a little at them, wishing she had known them back then so that she could have been there. Then she opened the first drawer, the top one on the left, and found not socks or clothes but photo albums inside.

If curiosity killed the cat, one day it was going to kill Summer too. She couldn't help but to grab the first one from the top of the pile and open it, not even thinking twice because she was sure that they wouldn't mind. The first picture in the book was an adorable selfie of the two of them, Lukas nuzzling Aemilia's neck as she smiled happily at the camera, and Summer grinned down at the disarming and simply insane cuteness of the couple. Then she turned the page, and that was when everything changed.

One minute it was all sunshine and rainbows and cute, innocent little selfies of two of her closest friends, and the next she was staring at decidedly non-innocent photos of Lukas in bed, lying on his stomach... tangled up in the sheets... extremely naked.

... Her eyes had never been so comically huge in her life. Her jaw hit the floor and she frantically turned the page, only to land on another picture that was even _more_ explicit - Aemilia sitting on Lukas' lap as he handled the camera, _very_ naked and her hair a wild mess and quite obviously rather full of... him.

"Hey Summer?"

She screamed a little and slammed the book shut, whipping around and throwing the book like it was made of fire. As a result, it hit Bucky squarely in the face. He made a surprised, mildly pained noise and caught the book before it fell, and Summer gasped with her face aflame and said, "Oh God! I'm sorry! I just - I was - you scared me and - that book - _oh God, don't open it!_ "

But it was too late. Wanting to see what the hell Summer had accidentally hurled at his face, Bucky opened the book to a random spot and then froze where he stood. Summer cringed as she watched his eyes widen and jaw drop as he, too, saw things that couldn't be unseen.

Pictures that _he_ saw included Aemilia taking a selfie in their mirror, decked out in a leather corset and boots, brandishing a riding crop while Lukas, visible in the same reflection, was sprawled in their bed in only a pair of unlaced leather pants. Another picture showed the result of that particular night, Lukas - minus the pants, of course - bearing the red and painful evidence of that riding crop all over his thighs and -

" _Fucking hell,_ " Bucky groaned, snapping the book shut and then clumsily opening a random drawer and shoving it inside, burying it amid a sea of socks. Then he looked at Summer, who was still bright red and dying, and he said, "Let's just... get what we came for and... go."

Summer nodded enthusiastically. "Right. Okay."

He nodded back. "Yeah."

Then they both turned back to the dresser and resumed their searches for what Lukas and Aemilia had asked of them. Summer gulped down a lump in her throat because _hot dang_ those two were beautiful and _wow Aemilia's boobs_ , and Bucky twitched every time he closed his eyes because all he saw was leather and Lukas' welt-covered ass.

But it got worse still. Their ordeal wasn't quite over yet.

Bucky crouched down and opened the very bottom drawer, looking for a damn hoodie for Lukas. He moved aside a few things that were sitting on top - some kind of silk scarves or something - and then rummaged around the rest of the contents, accidentally hooking a finger on something. He lifted it up to shake it off, only to let his eyes become even more comically huge than before when realized what he was touching.

It was about ten inches long, fairly thick, and attached to a number of adjustable straps. He dropped it like it might be infected with the plague and exclaimed, " _Fucking fuck_ I just _fucking_ touched something that's been up his _fucking_ ass. _Fuck_."

He then slammed the drawer shut, rattling the entire dresser, and Summer squeaked, " _What_?"

"Nothing," he groaned miserably, turning away from the accursed dresser and going somewhere - anywhere - else. Summer, meanwhile, eyed that bottom drawer curiously and, against her better judgment, bent down and opened it. She spotted the thing that had so tortured Bucky and then carefully grabbed one of the straps, lifting it up and staring at the huge... _thingy_... in both awe and mild humiliation.

"It's... gigantic," she marveled quietly. "And... the color... gold? She bangs him with a golden -"

Suddenly Bucky was back at her side and snatching the item from her hand. He shoved it back in the drawer and kicked it shut with his foot and said, "Summer, that thing has been _in his ass_. Don't touch it."

"Well, I'm sure they... clean it... regularly," Summer shrugged, eyes still wide. She wasn't sure if she'd ever been more embarrassed in her life. "And besides," she babbled, "I'm like 100% sure that her fingers have been _up there_ too, and you touch those sometimes, so..."

Bucky stared at her for a moment, speechless. "How about we just never speak of this again?"

"Okay," she readily agreed, but it was an agreement she broke within five minutes.

Once they'd gotten everything that the rather adventurous couple had asked of them, Bucky went to close their closet door and turn off the lights in the bathroom. While he did those things, Summer did something that she knew she shouldn't have done. She went back to that dresser of doom and found that photo album again, opening it to peek at it just one more time, towards the back of the book.

And she shouldn't. She really shouldn't have.

Her eyes widened and she turned the book sideways, to better understand what she was looking at. Then her jaw dropped again and she flipped to the next page, which was when she audibly gasped and Bucky heard it.

He looked her way and then groaned, marching back over to her and muttering, "Summer, why the fuck are you looking at that thing _again_?"

Rather than reply, Summer flipped the book around and showed Bucky what she'd been staring at. He glanced down at it and then back up again, did a double take, widened his eyes and finally grabbed the book to look at it more closely.

"Is that..."

Summer nodded. "Yeah."

"They had a threesome with..."

Summer nodded again. "Mhm."

Bucky then fell silent and continued staring, as if he couldn't quite believe it. Then, even though he knew better, he flipped to the next page and let his jaw drop even further. Summer scuttled to his side and peered over his shoulder to see, then gasped again.

"Oh... my... God," she whispered, both of them staring in disbelief.

Then, at long last, Bucky shut the book - again - and once again shoved it back in the dresser. They both stood there for a moment, in utter silence and still staring at the dresser as if it was personally responsible for what they'd just seen.

Then Bucky said, "Let's go to the hospital."

"Okay," Summer said quietly, following him out of Lukas and Aemilia's suite and closing the door behind them.

... It wasn't even noon yet. What _else_ could this day possibly have in store for her?

* * *

To Summer's relief, Bucky drove them to the hospital in an actual car rather than on his motorcycle. After they got into the vehicle and headed on their way, Summer suddenly began to fear an awkward silence looming over their heads the entire way, but it turned out that the point was moot. His phone rang almost immediately and he spent most of the drive speaking in Russian to whoever else was on the other line. That saved her the potential awkwardness but presented an entirely different problem - maintaining her cool and trying not to give away how incredibly arousing she found him when he spoke the language.

From her place in the passenger's seat, she snuck glances over at him and quietly admired every last inch of him. His thighs in his well-fitted jeans were just sinful, and he'd thrown a leather jacket over a dark blue t-shirt before they'd left and it wasn't helping matters. His hair was down, and if she wasn't mistaken, it was a little longer than it had been back when they'd gotten married. If he let it go much longer without a trim it would be past his shoulders soon - not that she was complaining. She would happily drown in that glorious hair of his, and in him in general.

She could also listen to him read the Yellow Pages in Russian and never get bored. She got so lost in his voice that she eventually closed her eyes and drifted off in a spontaneous little fantasy. It involved him speaking Russian in her ear and slowly peeling off her clothes before turning her around and laying her down, covering her body with his and grinning down at her before touching his lips to hers and capturing them in a furious kiss that sent her reeling and...

"Summer?"

She jerked up and opened her eyes, blinking a few times and wondering how the heck she'd let herself get that caught up in her little daydream. "Yeah?"

"We're here," he said in clear amusement. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she smiled, unbuckling her seatbelt and reaching for the door. "Just, uh... easily distracted today."

He raised an eyebrow and opened his own door. "Just today?"

"Ha ha," she grinned and rolled her eyes, slipping out of the car and loving this new easy-going dynamic between them. She hoped it stayed like this and they stayed comfortable with each other, because she was starting to really _really_ like him. A lot. More than a lot.

In fact, if she was being completely honest, she might even just -

"Here you go," he said, tossing her Aemilia's tote bag from the trunk and interrupting her second attempt that day at a life-changing epiphany. She caught it and smiled, and then together they headed into the hospital.

It wasn't an especially long trip to Aemilia's room, and when they got there the door was, as expected, closed. Bucky knocked on it and, after Lukas' familiar voice beckoned them inside, they walked in to find the room completely transformed from the night before.

Flowers were _everywhere_ , and it appeared that someone - likely Frieda - had arranged for the standard issue hospital furniture to be replaced with much more comfortable chairs, one of which Lukas was comfortably nestled in. Aemilia was, of course, lying in bed and smiling, clutching the teddy bear that had come with Tony and Lizzie's flowers, and she already looked much better than she had the day before. Thor was sitting at her side and telling her some story or another that was making her giggle, and Sam was also there, still recovering from his own recent gunshot wound that Summer had also witnessed.

Aemilia's face lit up when Summer and Bucky walked in, and Summer did her best to look her in the eye and greet her normally despite what she'd seen in their rather colorful dresser earlier that morning. She hugged her and handed the tote bag over, smiling when Aemilia sighed in pure contentment over having her own comfy blanket now instead of the scratchy hospital one. Lukas thanked Bucky for his own duffle bag of necessities, and Bucky managed to contain himself and not mention the unmentionable things that he, too, had seen.

After Summer gave both Sam and Thor hugs and assured them both that she was okay following the previous day's debacle, Sam teasingly pulled at her scarf and asked, "Why're you wearing that thing in here? Aemilia cranked the heat to like 80 degrees and its a damn sauna in here."

"I was cold!" Aemilia protested from under her blanket. "I'm _still_ cold!"

Summer fidgeted a little and glanced at Bucky, whose eyes flickered to her as soon as he heard Sam's question. She tried to hide her inevitable blush and shrugged, "Well, I mean, it is December. It's cold. I'm cold."

Sam scoffed, nudging Thor's arm and saying, "Well, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna melt if I stay here any longer, so we'll let you guys enjoy the heat on your own. Got a big trip to SHIELD to get ready for, anyway."

Summer blinked and tilted her head. "SHIELD?"

Thor explained, "Yes, your husband arranged a meeting with Steve and the director herself. It's in just a few hours."

"Oh," Summer replied, nodding but not fully understanding what that meant.

Lukas noticed her confusion and remedied it. "Every empire needs a powerful ally in wartime."

 _Now_ she understood. She glanced at Aemilia, looking quite warm and comfy under her blanket but significantly less smiley now that the war with the Triad had been brought up. It was why she was in that hospital bed to begin with.

"Hopefully all of this will be over soon," Thor said, breaking the brief silence that had fallen over the room. "And nobody else will get hurt."

Bucky nodded to him and replied, "Make sure you get everyone there on time. I'll meet you guys there."

Thor nodded back, and then he and Sam said their goodbyes and left the room. Once they were gone, Summer took the seat that Sam had vacated and took a deep breath, deciding to try to steer the mood in the room back to something a little more bearable. "So... feeling better?"

Aemilia shrugged a little. "Well... not really," she admitted. "Maybe a little? It's hard to tell. I'm very limited on what kind of pain medication I can safely take and it's... it helps, but it turns out getting shot hurts really bad."

Summer frowned and nodded sympathetically. "I'm sorry. Hopefully you'll be feeling better soon and they'll at least let you come home."

"Yes, I hope so too," Aemilia sighed. "But thank you for bringing a little bit of home to me." She held up her blanket for emphasis and smiled.

"Oh, you're welcome!" Summer smiled back.

"Did the two of you find everything all right?" Lukas asked, looking from Summer to the still-standing Bucky, leaning against the wall next to Lukas' seat.

Summer and Bucky shared a knowing look with one another, and Summer ended up replying, "Um... yeah! Yeah, no problems there."

Lukas glanced at Aemilia and raised an eyebrow before turning back to Summer. "That didn't sound particularly convincing."

"Well..." Summer blushed and scrambled for words. "No, it... it was fine."

Lukas turned his head and looked at Bucky next, who had his arms crossed now and looked vaguely like he'd just taken a bite of a rotten apple and was avoiding eye contact. Lukas then had no problem deducting the truth. "... You two got into our dresser, didn't you."

Summer's eyes widened and then opened her mouth to let out a rather impressive load of word vomit. "... We didn't mean to, or at least I know I didn't because I was looking for that sweater Aemilia asked for and I opened the top drawer and there was a bunch of photo albums in there and I thought _oh I bet there's a bunch of cute pictures in here_ so I just grabbed the first one I saw and opened it and..."

Aemilia paled a little. "... Oh dear."

"It was _that_ photo album, wasn't it," Lukas grinned.

"... Yes," Summer cringed. "And I didn't... like, I didn't go through the whole thing or anything, but I saw... um... a little, and then I accidentally hit _him_ in the face with it," she gestured to Bucky, "and, um..."

Aemilia giggled and covered her face with her blanket before groaning, " _Ow_. It hurts to laugh."

"All right," Lukas sighed. "Out with it. What did you two see?"

Bucky then turned to Lukas and stared at him incredulously as he blurted, " _You fucked the King of Wakanda_."

Lukas furrowed his brows. "... I'd never mentioned that to you before?"

" _No_ ," Bucky replied, eyes a little wider.

"Oh. Well, that was nearly a year ago, wasn't it?" Lukas asked Aemilia absently.

"I... yes, something like that," she giggled, blushing but not as embarrassed as Summer would have been in her shoes.

"It was a lovely night," Lukas recalled wistfully.

Bucky blinked. "Lukas. _You fucked the King of Wakanda_."

"I know, I'm very proud," Lukas winked.

"Do you have any idea what would happen if those photos ever got leaked?!" Bucky asked, eyes growing progressively wider. "I mean, at least there's no video, but still."

Lukas and Aemilia glanced at each other, both wearing little smiles, and Bucky groaned.

"... There _is_ a video," he muttered, looking away.

"Nobody will ever find it, darling," Lukas assured him. "But I can show it to you if you'd like."

"... I'm good," Bucky shook his head. "The pictures were enough. I'll never unsee them."

"You're welcome," Lukas grinned. He then turned back to Summer and said, "You've become strangely silent."

Growing uncomfortably warm thanks to both the temperature in the room and the blush crawling up her neck, Summer pulled at the scarf around her neck and squeaked, "Yeah, well... sorry, I just can't really get the image out of my head of your big... ten inch... golden... uh..."

Aemilia nearly had a fit. "You saw _that_ too?!"

"It's his fault!" Summer squeaked, pointing at Bucky. "He found it, not me!"

Lukas laughed and then looked up at Bucky again, who was now fidgeting uncomfortably. "Oh, James, you poor thing."

Bucky then asked him in genuine sincerity, "Lukas, that thing is _huge_. How can you use it without needing surgery after?"

Lukas chuckled. "It's all about the preparation, dear. And Aemilia's become quite the professional at that," he grinned at his wife, who grinned back before blushing again and covering her face with her new teddy bear.

Bucky stared at them both in confusion. "... I don't get it," he admitted. "Just... _why_?"

Lukas rolled his eyes. "That's like asking why someone prefers coffee over tea. If all you've ever had in your life is coffee, you won't know if you like tea unless you _try_ it."

"... I'll pass," Bucky muttered.

"It doesn't take very much to see if you'd like it," Lukas pointed out. Then he eyed Summer and added, "He would."

Summer's eyes became comically huge. "Uh..."

Bucky groaned and muttered, "Really, Lukas?"

"I call them as I see them," Lukas shrugged.

Summer, blushing and again pulling at her now-horribly uncomfortable scarf, decided to ask a certain burning question to change the conversation just a little bit. "So, uh... I have a question. Is _anyone_ around here actually straight? Like, I'm just curious."

All three of the room's other occupants paused and thought for a moment. Lukas was the first to reply. "Thor. He's hopelessly straight."

"Yes, Thor," Aemilia agreed. "Anyone else?"

Lukas sat there and stared for a moment. "I was going to say my mother but she had that thing last year with that Victoria's Secret model..."

"I love how adventurous your mother is," Aemilia chuckled. "Let's see... definitely not Tony. Sam, maybe?"

"I think," Lukas nodded. "Natasha, is she straight?"

He looked to Bucky for that answer. Bucky paused and muttered, "Mostly."

"That's a no, then," Lukas replied.

"Steve," Bucky said next. "He's straight."

Lukas and Aemilia then proceeded to share a very subtle and very quiet look that Bucky didn't catch. Summer did, however, and she widened her eyes and dropped her jaw a little because _did that mean_ -

"And whatshisface," Bucky added, oblivious. "The neurosurgeon. Doctor..."

"Strange?" Lukas guessed. "No, no. Not straight."

Aemilia furrowed her brows. "He isn't?"

"No, darling, remember after that one party you had him suck me off so you could watch," Lukas replied casually while Summer gaped like a fish at the blunt terminology.

"Oh, that's right," Aemilia giggled. "I was very drunk, it's all a bit fuzzy."

"Yes, I remember," Lukas chuckled. "I'd never heard such colorful language from you before that night."

Summer, flailing inside, blurted, "How often do you guys bring other people in?!"

Lukas trained his eyes on her and asked knowingly, "Why, darling? Are you interested?"

She blushed with the fire of a thousand cans of tomato sauce. "No... I'm just... curious?"

"Well," Aemilia explained, "whenever someone strikes our fancy and we click well with them, and we're both in the right mood... we've definitely been known to go ahead and invite them along for a night."

"And not only men," Lukas winked. "Ladies, too."

Summer stared at them both and Bucky did the same before he asked incredulously, "Are you seriously trying to invite _my wife_ into a threesome? In front of me?"

Summer fought the urge to crawl into a hole and die as Lukas chuckled, "Well, _someone_ has to tend to the poor woman, don't they?"

Bucky opened his mouth to retort and immediately snapped it shut. Summer knew exactly why, and her face burned even more.

"Oh, Lukas, stop," Aemilia chided him with a smile. "You're embarrassing her."

"I'm sorry," Lukas grinned. "I just haven't yet recovered from walking in your office and finding her on your lap."

Bucky narrowed his eyes and growled, "Is anyone _ever_ gonna explain to me what fucking happened?"

 _Oh God_. Summer picked up the two ends of her scarf and covered her face with it.

"... We were just... I was showing her some stuff," Aemilia shrugged innocently.

"Like _what_?" Bucky demanded, though not angrily but merely curiously.

"... Things," Aemilia smiled.

Lukas patted Bucky's arm. "Stuff, James. _Things_."

Summer groaned and dropped the ends of her scarf, loosening it around her neck again. "Can we please change the subject before I die?"

Aemilia laughed. "Of course, I'm s-" She paused and stared wide-eyed at Summer's neck, which she had unknowingly exposed just enough to make one of the many marks upon it visible. "... What happened to your neck? Is that from the car accident?!"

Summer froze in horror. Her eyes immediately flew to Bucky, who was also a little frozen himself but in a distinctly more amused way. She quickly covered her neck back up and squeaked, "Um, nothing. I'm - it's - nothing."

Lukas, however, knew exactly what kind of mark that was the moment he saw it. He turned to Aemilia and said, "Wow. I didn't know your little practice session went that far yesterday."

Aemilia's eyes widened. "I didn't do that!"

Lukas furrowed his brows. "Well, then who did?"

Summer shrunk into her seat and tried - and failed - to disappear from the bewildered gazes of her two friends. Then they both turned their eyes to Bucky, who was looking at Summer with just a hint of a dark little smirk on his face. He noticed the other two looking and immediately schooled his features, casting his gaze to the floor and clearing his throat.

Lukas and Aemilia's jaws both dropped immediately. Summer stared wide-eyed at all of them, the cat officially now out of the bag.

Suddenly Lukas stood up and grabbed Bucky's arm. "Hallway, now."

They were gone in a flash. The door closed and then Aemilia all but gasped, "Take that scarf off."

Summer grimaced and did as she was told, and once it was off Aemilia _really_ gasped. " _Holy fuck!_ " she squeaked, hands over her mouth. "Tell me everything now."

Summer took a deep breath and began with a shaky exhale. "Okay so... we slept together." At Aemilia's alarmed expression, she amended, "Slept! As in actually sleeping! I slept in his room. In his bed. We um... cuddled. It was nice. I really needed it after... you know... everything. Then we woke up and... um..."

"And?" Aemilia demanded impatiently and excitedly.

"He was... kinda stiff and seemed like he was in pain, so... I gave him a massage."

* * *

Outside in the hall, Lukas raised both eyebrows. "A _massage_?"

Bucky nodded, trying to maintain an air of nonchalance. "Yes."

"... _And_?"

"And it felt good," he shrugged.

"So you returned the favor by sucking the life out of her neck?"

"No. She..." he paused, almost shuddering a little at the memory. "She kissed me first."

Lukas's eyes grew wide as saucers. "On the lips?"

"No. My neck," Bucky replied.

"... Ah. So she made the first move."

Bucky nodded, scratching the back of his neck. "She... yeah. Then I froze up like an idiot and she ran away."

" _Then_ what happened?"

* * *

"He, uh... he stopped me," Summer gulped. "Came up behind me and slammed the door shut and... said he was sorry."

"Oooh," Aemilia grinned. "Then what?"

"I said I was sorry 'cause I knew he didn't want me like that. Then he... like... growled in my ear and said - word for word - 'what makes you think I don't want you?'"

Aemilia's eyes widened. "... _Oh_."

Summer grinned, "Yeah. And it kinda just... went from there."

Aemilia bit her lip. "What exactly happened?"

* * *

"I got her off," Bucky shrugged, desperately trying to seem casual still. "It's not a big deal."

"... Not a big deal?" Lukas repeated, outraged at the mere thought. "This is a _huge_ deal."

Bucky's body language betrayed how nervous and uneasy the talk made him. "It was just... just fucking around. We're both human. She needed it, I needed it. S'not... not anything big."

Lukas narrowed his eyes, unimpressed. "If you actually believed that, I would punch you in your stupid chiseled face right now. But you don't, so I won't."

Bucky glared at Lukas. "It was nothing."

"Oh, it was _something_. And now you're panicking and trying to rationalize it away," Lukas noted. "You can't hide that from me. I know that move. I _invented_ that move."

Bucky rubbed his fingers over his eyes. "Do we _have_ to do this?"

"Yes. Now. Did you kiss?"

* * *

"No," Summer sighed. "Almost. But then we were interrupted."

Aemilia nodded, smiling still. "Well. All in due time, I suppose." Then her grin turned wicked. "So what was it like?"

"... Incredible," Summer admitted a bit dreamily. "I mean, I literally didn't really do anything. I just stood there and held on and he did everything, but... his fingers are like... _wow_ and I've never had anyone do anything like this to me," she gestured to her neck, biting her lip. "And like... he didn't see any of me. His hands were _everywhere_ but I kept my clothes on the whole time. It felt like we did so much but it was actually so little... it's... mind-boggling."

Aemilia grinned, loving what she was hearing. "Have you two talked about what happened yet?"

* * *

"No," Bucky replied, keeping his voice down as two nurses walked by. "We haven't." He paused. "I don't know what there is to talk about."

Lukas groaned and crossed his arms, eyeing Bucky critically. "You do realize that Summer is hardly Natasha, yes?"

Bucky furrowed his brows. "The hell does that mean?"

"I mean that if you think that you can have a casual sexual relationship with her free of any pesky emotions or attachments, you are spectacularly mistaken," Lukas informed him.

Bucky rolled his eyes, ran a hand through his hair and shook his head before retorting, "You're overreacting."

"You're underreacting," Lukas replied. "Are you completely blind to that woman's feelings for you?"

Bucky didn't answer that, instead staring at Lukas in a way that was unreadable. There was no safe way to answer that question, so he stayed silent.

"All I'm saying," Lukas said, "is that you've crossed a line now. You can't uncross it. And you can't pretend that it means nothing, because I can guarantee you that it meant a _lot_ to her. And the fact that it happened after something so traumatic for her..."

Bucky clenched his jaw and nodded. "I get it, okay? I get it. I fucked up."

Lukas rolled his eyes and fought the urge to slam his head into the wall. "I'm not saying _that_. Stop being so overdramatic. I've been _waiting_ for you two to finally give in. And now that something's finally happened... I just want to make sure that you're not going to do something stupid to hurt her, like insist to her that it meant nothing to you once you finally talk about it."

Bucky nodded and muttered, "I won't." Then he paused and asked, "I just... I didn't expect it to happen and I don't know what it means."

Lukas slapped a hand on Bucky's shoulder. "It means that you're starting to like your wife and that you're attracted to her. It's not the worst thing to ever happen to a man."

Bucky rolled his eyes and fell silent for a moment before asking quietly, "What do I say to her?"

* * *

"Just tell him the truth," Aemilia suggested. "Maybe this can be sort of the catalyst for you two to get closer. And I don't mean just physically. Maybe... oh!" Aemilia's eyes lit up. "Maybe you should ask him on a date!"

Summer grimaced. "A date?"

"Yes!" Aemilia smiled. "You two are married but you still need to start from the beginning. It could be ages before he has the courage to ask you, so... just ask him out. See what happens. What have you got to lose?"

"Nothing, but..."

Summer fell silent the moment she heard the door open. The men returned and she kept her mouth shut, sharing a look with Aemilia as Lukas headed back to his seat and Bucky resumed leaning against the wall next to him, like he had been before they'd left.

Summer snuck a quick glance to Bucky before looking down and pretending to find the scarf in her lap fascinating. All four of them sat in mildly uncomfortable silence until Aemilia reached into the tote bag that Summer had brought and pulled out one of her most prized DVD sets.

"So..." she smiled and held up the movies. "Who wants to watch Star Wars with me?"

* * *

Three quarters into Episode VI, Aemilia fell asleep for a lengthy and much-needed nap. As a result, Summer and Bucky quietly left her and an equally sleepy Lukas to themselves for the rest of the afternoon.

"So," Summer said on their way back to the car, "are you just gonna drop me off at home on your way to the big meeting at SHIELD?"

Bucky, stepping into an empty elevator that had just opened for them, seemed to think for a moment before he replied, "I think you should come with me."

Summer's eyebrows flicked up in surprise as she followed him inside, keeping a safe distance at his side. "Really? But I'm not really... you know..."

"You're in the middle of all of this, Summer," he pointed out gently, eyes on hers. "And you're my wife. Whether you like it or not, that means you play an extremely important role."

She nodded, blushing a little and looking away. "And here I used to think being married meant doing your husband's laundry and cooking him dinner."

"... We have staff for that."

She was about to laugh at his semi-joke before he surprised her by tugging her scarf into his hands. She'd had it bunched under her arm, forgetting to put it back on when they left Aemilia's room, but now Bucky had taken it and he was stepping in front of her as the elevator neared the ground floor. She blushed as he gently draped it around her neck and looped it a few times, arranging it so that it covered the marks he'd left on her neck. It was a surprisingly intimate gesture, and when he reached up after and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, her eyes flickered up to his and she felt her heart skip a beat.

He looked like he was going to say something, as if he was trying to find the right words to say what he wanted to. The suspense built until she was holding her breath as she waited, but then the doors opened and a few nurses and a cafeteria worker boarded the elevator. The moment broken, both Bucky and Summer let out breaths of disappointment and then walked out.

They were silent as they made their way to the parking garage, Bucky seemingly annoyed and Summer feeling even more nervous than usual. They really needed to talk about what had happened between them but neither of them knew quite where to start, so what finally broke the silence ended up having nothing to do with what wasn't said on the elevator.

"So, uh... can we stop and get food on the way?" Summer asked as Bucky unlocked the car.

He glanced at her before making his way to the driver's seat. "Sure. Where?"

She opened the door and climbed in, waiting until they were both settled to reply, "Don't judge me for this, but... McDonald's?"

He blinked at her in surprise as he turned on the engine. "You eat that shit?"

"... Yeah?" she admitted a little timidly.

He eyed her briefly and then shook his head, focusing on backing out of their parking spot. "Just figured you survived off salads and... apples or something."

"... You've _seen_ me eat," she replied incredulously. "At dinner. My portions are not small. I like eating."

Bucky gave a small shrug, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "Then just... take it as a compliment."

She tried to hide her responding smile by biting a nail and turning her head to glance out her window. She didn't notice when he briefly looked at her and hid a smile of his own.

When they stopped for food, Summer ordered for Bucky when he stared at the menu like it was written in Greek. Apparently he hadn't eaten cheap fast food in years, but she was more than happy to reintroduce him to the joys of greasy french fries and more saturated fats than anyone could ask for. Then Summer babbled about how Lizzie used to get her Happy Meals when she was a kid to bribe her into behaving well while she got her nails done, and though the conversation was mostly one-sided, it was comfortable and easy. And even better, Bucky seemed to enjoy the Big Mac she'd forced him to try. What kind of red-blooded American man had never tried one of _those_ before?!

Then, once they arrived at the New York SHIELD headquarters, the mood took a bit of a turn. Apparently they were right on time, so there was no time to dawdle. They parked near the top floor of SHIELD's parking garage and, when they entered the skyscraper one elevator ride later, Bucky's hand slipped into hers and he led her through the doors. It was little things like that that made her heart melt, one piece at a time.

They passed through security without incident, mainly due to the ID card that Bucky flashed. They were let through without their weapons being confiscated, and while Summer thought that was bizarre, she didn't ask. Obviously Bucky had some kind of VIP pass to this place, undoubtedly thanks to Steve.

From there, Bucky led her to another elevator. After traveling up to the top few floors of the building, they then walked down a rather long hallway and walked through another set of doors and turned a few more corners, and then they finally arrived at their destination.

Bucky opened the doors, and Summer stepped inside a moderately sized conference room. It reminded her of the board room back at work, and there was a large table at the center of the room filled with quite a few familiar faces - Thor, Sam, Natasha, Tony, and Frieda. Steve was there too, standing and talking to a _stunning_ brunette woman in a curve-hugging blue business suit, and his partner Clint was also present and seated at the table.

Everyone fell silent when Bucky and Summer entered. Bucky shut the door behind him and the hot brunette turned a critical eye on him and said, "You're late."

"Sorry," Bucky replied, still holding Summer's hand and leading her towards Steve and the woman. "Had to stop and feed my wife on the way."

Steve - in a rather well-fitted SHIELD tactical uniform and rocking a full and glorious beard - offered Summer a friendly smile and said, "Director Carter, this is Summer Barnes, Bucky's new wife."

The director - Margaret Carter, her security badge proclaimed - extended her hand to Summer and replied, "You can call me Peggy. I saw your wedding photos in the _Times_."

"Oh," Summer smiled, shaking her hand. "Yeah, still not very used to that. It's nice to meet you."

Peggy nodded and then withdrew her hand to place it and her other one on her hips, turning her gaze back to Bucky. "Steve has spent the better part of the last four hours trying to convince me to give you what you're asking for. I'm sure you won't be surprised to hear that I'm a bit skeptical."

"No, ma'am," Bucky replied respectfully. "But that's why I'm here. I want to make the case myself."

"Then let's have a seat, shall we?" Peggy suggested.

A few very brief moments later, Summer was seated next to Bucky, with Sam at her other side, and she watched with great interest as the meeting commenced.

"So, _Captain_ ," Peggy said with an impressive mixture of respect and the complete opposite, "tell me why I should allow my agency to ally with your _organization_ in your latest turf war with the Triad."

Bucky didn't hesitate to reply. "Because this is no turf war. I grew up in the Bratva - you know that. I know the kinds of conflicts that happen almost daily and come with the territory. This isn't one of them. This is a real, all out war, and my family's in danger. We need your help."

"And why should I help you?" Peggy asked. "Steve already cleans up your messes for you whenever you leave a trail of bodies in the streets. What incentive could I possibly have to spend more resources to support the Russian mob?"

Bucky glanced at Steve and then back to Peggy. "I know you've never been a fan of our... partnership."

Peggy scoffed slightly. "That's an understatement. Any other director would have not only fired Rogers but had him prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for disobeying direct orders and colluding with the Bratva for an unauthorized raid."

Bucky quickly replied, "But _you_ didn't. You promoted him instead, because you saw the results. And that's what you've gotten throughout the entire arrangement - results."

"And a lot of headaches," Peggy replied. "Do you have any idea how difficult it is to keep you out of the FBI's crosshairs? They have a file on you a mile long and I am the only thing standing between you and a prison cell."

Summer's eyes widened a little at that. Bucky's didn't. "And I'm grateful for that, ma'am. Trust me, I wish I didn't have to ask you for anything else. But I do."

Peggy sighed and crossed her arms. "What do you propose?"

Bucky took a breath and then began. "Over the last few months, with Steve's help, I've been tracking the Triad's new leader. He goes by the name Xu. Just Xu. He's only been in power for the last two years, but he's been a key player for decades. I've been trying to find him for years but it's been nearly impossible - by the time I get there, he's gone without a trace."

"And why have you been hunting him for so long if he's only been in power for two years?"

Bucky paused and looked away for a moment, his posture becoming a bit more rigid and his jaw clenching. Whatever he was about to say, Summer could tell that he didn't want to say it at all.

"Because," he replied finally, "he killed my parents."

"Well, as sympathetic as I am," Peggy replied, "I'm not going to interfere in a grudge match."

"I'm not asking you to," Bucky assured her. "The situation is far beyond that. Under his control, the Triad has become bolder and more aggressive. A team of their fighters infiltrated our home and opened fire during a gala a few weeks ago. The team was led by Xu's son. He was killed in self-defense."

Summer looked down and away, not wanting to think about that night or relive it. Sam put a reassuring hand on shoulder, noticing her discomfort, and she gave him a grateful smile.

"And this undoubtedly caused them to declare war, yes?" Peggy guessed.

Bucky nodded. "My wife was the one who shot him. Now they want revenge. Last night they ambushed her car and almost got what they wanted. And they shot a pregnant woman in the belly in the process."

"Who?" Peggy asked, expression darkening.

"Aemilia Orlov," Steve replied, expression betraying his own anger at the ordeal that Aemilia had been subjected to. "CEO of Pierce Consolidated."

"They're not gonna stop until she's dead," Bucky went on, referring to Summer. "It was already personal but now it's war. They have someone on the inside and we don't know who it is. Director," he appealed to Peggy quietly but fiercely, "we're the only thing keeping them in check. Without us, they'll run the streets. They'll flood the city with their drugs, buy off the only judges left that aren't already in their pockets, and you won't be able to do a damn thing about it. You need us, and we need you to stay alive and get the advantage back. However distasteful you find our partnership, you've locked up more Triad members and acquired more intelligence than you _ever_ could have without it. Now we need a little more to stay alive."

Contemplating all of this, Peggy asked, "What do you want?"

"Resources," Bucky replied. "We need to find out who their informant is. We need more protection for our women and children. And we need to find Xu. I can try to do all of that without SHIELD and I might succeed, but I don't know how many more people will die along the way."

Peggy sighed quietly. "The problem is that this war of yours will never _really_ be over. It's the nature of the beast - you kill this Xu, and someone else will seize power. Cut off one head... you know the saying."

"Maybe," Bucky replied. "But what I do know is that if we don't end this soon, there's gonna be a lot more innocent lives lost. And I don't want that. I'm sick of watching people die."

Summer blinked at his honesty and bluntness, and for a moment the entire table was quiet. Peggy turned to Steve and they shared a moment of nonverbal communication, their eyes doing the talking for them, and then Peggy took a breath and made her decision.

"Fine. But we do it my way. I want complete transparency at every level, and you damn well better use this opportunity wisely because I will not be this generous forever."

"Understood," Bucky nodded. "Thank you, Director."

"Thank Steve," Peggy replied. "He's the only reason why I didn't arrest you myself years ago."

Bucky glanced at Steve and shared a small grin with him. "Thanks."

"Well then," Peggy said, "let's get started."

Everyone at the table readily agreed since after all, the sooner that they took the advantage back, the better. For Summer, however, this meant that she got to sit there and feel useless for the rest of the afternoon.

Luckily for her, however, she had friends who helped ease that awkwardness. Frieda asked for her opinions as to ways to further secure the manor and the company, and she was included in on enough conversations so that she at least wasn't sitting there looking as out of place as she felt. She kept sneaking glances to Bucky, usually deep in conversation and plans with Peggy and Steve, and she wondered just how his parents had gotten caught up in the mob years ago and lost their lives because of it.

Had they been Bratva, or just in the wrong place at the wrong time? He'd mentioned having a sister named Rebecca, too. Had they killed her too? There was so much she didn't know about Bucky and so much that she was afraid to ask.

It was while she was lost in these thoughts that the meeting began to finally come to a close. With SHIELD now officially allied with the Bratva, a lot more meetings were on the horizon and they'd all be seeing a lot more of each other. Bucky returned to Summer's side and told her that it was time to go, so she got up and followed him to the door.

Then, to her surprise, Director Carter herself stopped her. "Can I have a word?" Peggy asked, stopping Summer in her tracks. Bucky looked as confused and surprised as Summer did, but he nodded to her and then stepped outside to wait while the two women chatted alone.

As soon as the door closed, Summer gulped a little and tried to push down a sudden wave of anxiety that came as a result of being under Peggy's intimidating gaze. As beautiful as she was, she was clearly hard as nails and could probably kill a man with nothing but a post it note and a safety pin. Maybe just the post-it note.

"As Director of SHIELD," Peggy began quietly, "I'm privy to a _lot_ of information, as you can imagine. I happened to do a bit of research on you prior to today's meeting."

Now Summer was _really_ nervous. "... Oh."

"The worst thing on your record is a speeding ticket from when you were nineteen years old," Peggy said. "You were an honors student at NYU. You were your father's apprentice until his company went belly up and was conveniently absorbed by Pierce Consolidated. Only a few months later you were suddenly married to James Barnes and making double your previous salary as Pierce's new event planner."

"Yeah, that... sounds right," Summer nodded.

"Listen," Peggy said gently, "I am a very good judge of character. Almost everyone who came here today has been Bratva for most of their lives - they live and breathe it. They don't know how to do anything else. But you're different, aren't you?" When Summer didn't reply, Peggy took a more direct approach. "Tell me the truth. How did you become involved with them?"

Summer let out a breath and figured there was no way around the truth, so she just came out with it. "My dad... he got involved with them. Got so far into debt with them that they took the company and... me. He sold me to them."

"So it's a forced marriage," Peggy said, expression telling Summer exactly what she thought of _that_.

"I... yes, but -"

"Has he hurt you?" Peggy asked. "Are you wearing that scarf to cover up bruises?"

Summer's eyes grew huge. "Oh my God, no, no, it's nothing like that, I swear. I... he didn't even want the marriage. He didn't do it. His... bosses in Russia ordered it. He's never hurt me once. He's not like that."

Peggy didn't seem particularly reassured. "Mrs. Barnes, what you have been through is... utterly horrendous. It shouldn't happen in modern day society or even be a thought. If you want a way out, I can provide that for you."

Summer paused, wondering if she'd misheard the other woman at first. "You can?"

Peggy handed Summer a small card and said, "I can get you into the witness protection program and have you on a plane in less than 24 hours. You would be safe from the Triad and safe from the Bratva, too. You could start over and leave this entire mess behind you."

Summer's head was spinning. It was almost too much for her to process, just the very words that Peggy was saying, and she'd never thought that such a thing could be possible.

Only a number of months ago, she would have jumped on the chance and disappeared without a second thought. And yet now, her gut reaction was not only just to say no but _hell no_. Even though her life was in constant danger and she was embroiled so deeply in the mafia life that she'd likely never find her way out, she didn't want to leave. She didn't want to flee to safety.

... What exactly did that say about her?

"Thank you," she finally said, pocketing the card. "I'll, uh... I'll think about it."

"Call me if you make a decision," Peggy replied. "You _do_ have options. Don't ever doubt that."

Summer nodded, and then the director walked past her to open the door. She followed her out and found Bucky waiting on the other side, hands in his pockets and a slightly nervous look on his face. Peggy looked at him and glared a bit as she walked by, saying nothing but making her general suspicion of him well known. Then Bucky turned back to Summer, taking her hand and leading her back down the corridor to leave the way they'd come.

"What did she wanna talk to you about?" Bucky asked as they walked.

"She just... asked me some questions," Summer replied truthfully.

"About what?" Bucky pressed, still looking a bit worried.

"I'll tell you later," Summer said, needing some time to think about it all and let Peggy's words sink in a little more before she shared them with Bucky.

She didn't want to leave. That wasn't even a question in her mind. What _was_ concerning was the fact that leaving seemed so unimaginable and crazy in her head, even though she was fairly sure that most women in her shoes would have been jumping on the first flight out and throwing a party over it.

... This day just kept throwing her curveball after curveball, and she didn't feel like she was doing a very good job catching them.

* * *

As the day went on, Summer kept what Peggy had said to herself. Normally Lizzie would have been the first person she told, but she kept quiet this time because she was sure that if she told her, Lizzie would urge her with everything she had to accept the offer and disappear. But Summer didn't want to do that, so she kept her mouth shut.

Bucky didn't ask her about what she and Peggy had talked about again, but he eyed her curiously every time their paths crossed. He could tell that she was holding something back and it was eating at him not to know what it was, but he didn't push her. His self-control surprised her but really, at that point, it shouldn't have.

It was later that night as she was retreating to bed and he was leaving his bedroom for only God knew what when their paths crossed for the last time in the hallway between their rooms.

Already dressed for bed in soft, fuzzy black pajama pants and a loose t-shirt she'd own for roughly 13 years, Summer smiled at him and quietly greeted, "Hey."

He nodded rather than reply and halted when he reached her. He was still in his clothes from earlier, minus the leather jacket and shoes, and he pushed a few strands of long hair out of his face as he asked, "You okay?"

"Yeah," she smiled, "I'm fine. Just tired. Long day."

He nodded, briefly looking her over. His eyes tripped over the exposed marks on her neck more than once before he met her gaze again and asked, "Can I ask you something?"

Her insides jolted with sudden anxiety. "Yeah, sure."

Then he asked her something she never would have expected from him. "Do you have a hair tie I can borrow?"

Summer smiled before chuckling in surprise. "Oh yeah! I've got like a million. You don't have any?"

"... I lose them," he shrugged, seeming a little embarrassed. "Usually I steal Aemilia's but she's not here and there's no way in hell I'm looking through their things again."

"Oh," she giggled again. "Okay. Yeah, just... follow me."

And without another word, he did. He followed Summer to her room and, as they walked through the door, Summer furrowed her brows and glanced back at him. "Have you ever been in my room before?"

He shook his head. "Nope."

"... Well then," she said, looking around and hoping she hadn't left anything embarrassing laying around. "this is, uh... this is my room." She then stood there awkwardly before pointing to the bathroom and saying, "Let's just get your hair ties."

He followed her again, without a word. He did, however, briefly eye a lacy white bra that was flung over the back of a chair. If she hadn't have been right in front of him, he might have grabbed it and checked the size, just for... nonspecific scientific reasons.

But he didn't. She led him into the overly large bathroom she occupied and flipped on the light, rifling through a number of drawers and babbling mindlessly before she found an entirely new and unused pack of hair ties. She smiled and then turned around, handing them to him and saying, "Here you go. Try not to lose them."

He gave her an amused look and took the pack from her hand. "Thanks."

She smiled back and glanced at his hair and the impressive length of it before unthinkingly blurting, "You know, I could trim it for you. Your hair. If you wanted. If it's bothering you."

He blinked at her in surprise. "... Really? You know how?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I used to cut Scott's hair all the time."

... _Oops_. Bucky's eye twitched a little and he visibly attempted to not appear as instantly annoyed by that as he was.

"... I just mean that I can do it," she shrugged, her face flushing. "Not like _cut it_ cut it. Because your hair's amazing. But I can make it a little less annoying. If you want me to."

He looked down at the hair ties in his hand and seemed to deliberate for a moment. Then he put the pack in his back pocket and nodded. "Okay. Yeah. Just a trim."

She smiled surprisingly excitedly, stomach fluttering with the pleasant kind of nervousness. "Okay! Just go grab a chair and I'll find my scissors and stuff."

He nodded and then left to find a chair from her sitting room. She quickly began looking through her drawers, overlooking her salon scissors twice before finally seeing them and grabbing them. She found a comb next and grabbed it just as Bucky returned with a small chair in tow.

He set it down in the center of the room, and Summer turned around just in time to watch him take his shirt off and drop it carelessly on the floor. She stood there staring dumbly for a moment as he dropped into the seat and looked at her expectantly, at which point she literally shook off her monetary stupor and smiled, walking around him and standing behind him with comb and scissors in hand. After all, it was hardly the first time he'd been shirtless in her presence. He'd been shirtless just that morning, when he'd held her against the door and ravaged her neck and showed her how good he was with his fingers.

She gulped at the memory and started combing his hair before she lost her nerve. The room was quiet and so were they, but she rather enjoyed getting to touch his hair like that and find out how soft it was. She'd grabbed handfuls of it that morning but she'd been on such sensory overload that she hadn't been able to retain much about that particular detail, but now she could and _man_... his hair was a thing of beauty.

"So," she said to break the silence that had filled the air, "who usually trims your hair? Do you have like some bigshot hairstylist who you pay like $500 per haircut?"

"No," he chuckled under his breath. "I usually ask Aemilia. But I haven't in awhile since she's been pregnant and more tired than usual. That's why it's so long."

"Oh," Summer replied, taking her time in combing it all out. "Well, I can do it when she can't. I don't mind."

He gave a small nod, and she prepared to make the first snip. She wasn't gonna cut very much off at all, but hopefully it would make for a neater bun when he put it up and less annoyance on his part.

And the fact that he trusted her with a sharp object so close to his skull showed how much she'd earned his trust.

"So what did Carter talk to you about?"

Summer paused mid-cut and froze a little, but only for a moment. She caught her breath and kept cutting, deciding to tell him everything since she could only keep it to herself for so long. "She told me she could put me in witness protection if I wanted to."

He didn't say a word at first. A long moment of silence passed before he asked, "Anything else?"

She frowned but didn't hesitate to answer. "She just... she wanted to make sure that I wasn't in a bad situation. Well. A _worse_ situation. I can't blame her. It looks really bad on the surface."

"She thought I was hurting you," Bucky surmised.

"She suspected," Summer admitted. "But I told her the truth. That neither of us wanted this and that you've never done anything to hurt me."

"... She believe you?"

"I don't know," Summer replied. "But it doesn't really matter if she didn't. I know the truth, so..."

She then shifted around to face him, trimming the pieces by his face. He kept his eyes on hers the entire time, making her feel rather nervous again, and finally he broke the silence again with an unexpected question. "Are you gonna leave?"

Her eyes shot to his and she slowly lowered the comb and scissors. She also happened to notice for the first time that she was standing between his open denim-clad legs, something that had somehow escaped her before. "What?"

He clenched his jaw and let his eyes drop. "Are you gonna go and... take her up on her offer," he muttered. "I wouldn't blame you if you did. Your life is in constant danger here and you've been through hell. I wouldn't stop you if you wanted to go."

She blinked in surprise. Not only were those words surprising on their own, but the way that he said them was what really got to her and made her pause. He didn't want her to go. But he'd let her if she wanted to.

"... I can't," she said quietly. "If I did, my dad might... I don't know what would happen to him. Me being here and marrying you is what kept us alive, so..."

Bucky looked up at her and asked quietly, "Is that the only thing keeping you here?"

She looked him in the eyes and shook her head. "No."

"Tell me," he murmured, almost a little desperately.

Her heart suddenly racing for reasons she couldn't fully comprehend, she replied, "I... I just... this place is... not what I expected. I used to have nobody but my mom, really, and I was just... working and watching everything pass me by, you know? But then I came here and... yeah, a lot of it sucks. A lot of it is really bad. But now I have friends," she smiled. "And a job I'm pretty good at. I... it's crazy but I feel like I actually belong here somehow. My mom found Tony and... Aemilia's like my best friend now and... I don't want to leave. Not anymore."

Still staring up into her eyes, he asked her one last question, barely above a whisper. "What am I to you?"

His question made her heart skip. She answered with nothing less than complete honesty. "I don't know."

He stood up, taking her by surprise. She took a step back and he grabbed the scissors and comb from her hand, tossing both on the counter a few feet behind her. "Am I your captor?" he asked, taking a step closer to her, eyes still intent on hers. "Benefactor? Protector?"

For every step that he took, she took a step back. Eventually her back hit the counter and she was trapped between it and her husband, and if her heart started beating any faster she was sure that it would give out entirely.

"What do you _want_ me to be?" he asked quietly. "A teacher? A friend?" He reached up and brushed some of her hair aside so that he could trace his fingers over the marks on her neck, his voice dripping to a low, sensual purr. "A lover?"

Her cheeks blushed brightly and she closed her eyes, overwhelmed already and barely able to breathe. "I... _God_ ," she muttered breathlessly, reaching up and taking his hand and pulling it away from her neck before she did something embarrassing like faint in his arms. Then she opened her eyes and looked up into his, seeing the intensity within them and the potency in his gaze. No man had ever been able to reduce her to such a beautiful mess through just a handful of words and a gentle touch to her neck before. She'd never known that she was even capable of feeling such _consuming_ things until he had come along and shattered her entire life.

That was when the epiphany that had been eluding her all day finally dawned on her and left her entire world reeling and swaying out of orbit. The truth was simple and right in front of her, evident in her eyes and the erratic beating of her heart and the lack of breath in her lungs. She couldn't deny to herself it any longer, even if she was still far too afraid to say the words out loud.

She was in love with him. This terrifying, cold, closed-off, intimidating killer of a man had snuck into her heart when she hadn't been looking, and now... _now_ what was she supposed to do?

"Tell me," he urged her more quietly, unaware of the life-changing realization that she had just experienced.

"... I want... all of that," she replied honestly, deciding to hell with the consequences. "But I... you just... I still don't really know you."

He looked... _surprised_ by her words. "... You want to?" he asked quietly, as if such a concept - someone _wanting_ to know him out of their own free will - was astounding.

She nodded, still holding his hand. "Yeah. There's so much I don't know and don't understand about you, and... I _want_ to. I... I like you," she admitted with a smile. "But I can't... do this without knowing you first."

"Do what?" he asked, trying hard to keep up with her.

She blushed and forced herself not to look away, maintaining eye contact. "This morning. It was... _oh my God_. You're just... I've never in my _life_... I don't even have words," she admitted, watching a flicker of pride and amusement pass through his eyes. "But I'm not... like... other people. I can't just casually... you know. I never have. So... I want to get to know you better. I want us to talk and... be close like _that_ before we... um..."

He smiled a little bit, nodding and looking down. "Yeah."

Then Aemilia's words from earlier that day came flooding back to Summer's head. Her next sentence came flying out of her mouth before she could stop herself. "We could go on a date."

His eyes flashed back up to hers. "... A date?"

"Yeah," she smiled. "I mean... we're married but we kinda skipped the whole... actual relationship part, you know? So... maybe we could go out like a real couple and... see what happens? I think it would be fun."

He stared at her like she was the most bewildering and entertaining thing in the world. Finally he gave her that half-grin and said, "All right."

She lit up with excitement. "Yeah? You want to? Maybe once Aemilia's back home and everything's calmed down some... we could do it then?"

He nodded. "Okay."

She smiled widely and brightly. "Okay."

Her smile was contagious. He untangled his hand from hers and reached up to her face, gently tracing the pad of thumb over her cheek. "You're so fucking cute."

She blushed like _mad_ and looked away, a stupidly big smile on her face. She looked back up when he reluctantly took his hand away from her face, still staring at her like she was a mystery he couldn't wait to unravel. Then he took a step back and said, "G'night, Summer. Thanks for..." he gestured to his hair, and she giggled.

"You're welcome," she smiled, and he smiled back. It still wasn't a full, _normal_ smile, but for him it was _something_. He then picked his shirt off from the floor and shot her one last little look before turning and leaving, heading for his room as he left her alone in her bathroom with only her frantically beating heart for company.

She heard her door close and she let out a small but almost inhumanly high-pitched squeak. She had a date with her husband. It was happening, and there was no turning back now.

 _Well, holy frick on a stick._


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: hey everyone! So a few things before I shut up lol. This is NOT a Christmas chapter, but a Christmas chapter will come next week instead. I know it'll be past Christmas by then but... that's how the cookie crumbled lol. Second, I'm gonna be posting my "gift" to you guys very very soon :D I'm thinking Saturday is when I'm gonna do it, so keep an eye out for it! I'm super excited :D like, beyond excited lol.**

 **My thanks to each and every one of you for reading, following, and/or reviewing, MY GOSH YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST and we're already at 600 reviews! If I get anymore blown away, I'm gonna literally blow away and go flying down the street like a plastic bag. LOL. ALSO, my undying thanks to midnightwings96 for being absolutely irreplaceable and helping me when I'm stuck or confused or have a giant glaring typo that I missed (lol), and for, as always, dressing the characters and being the official stylist for the story :D I literally cannot thank her enough or sing her praises enough, she's THAT awesome. ANYWHO, I'll see you guys next week (and sooner than that for the surprise on Saturday)! :D**

Early in the morning a few weeks later, Summer awoke in her bed to the sound of insistent and somewhat frantic knocking on her door. After stumbling out of bed and narrowly making it to the door with her life, she yawned and opened the door to find a slightly harried looking Lukas on the other side.

"Oh, hi," she said groggily in surprise. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, yes, everything's fine," he assured her with a smile. "But I've been called into the office and I'm afraid I can't get out of it today, so I was hoping that you could keep Aemilia company while I'm gone."

"Oh, sure," Summer nodded. "Yeah, no problem."

Lukas sighed with relief. "Thank you, darling. She's still sleeping now but she'll need help once she wakes up, since she's supposed to be on bedrest for at least another week or so. And you know how she balks at the idea of needing help."

"Yeah," Summer chuckled. "No, it'll be fun. We'll watch movies and stuff. Don't worry. I'll take care of her."

"You're a godsend," Lukas told her sincerely. She smiled back and then furrowed her brows when he shifted to peek inside her room. After satisfying his curiosity he merely grinned and said, "Just seeing if you were alone in there or not."

Summer narrowed her eyes playfully. "Very funny."

Lukas winked at her. "Well, I should be home for dinner. Thank you again."

"No problem," she smiled back as he turned and dashed off. She felt bad for him, being needed at work on a Saturday morning, but he had taken a considerable amount of time off lately for Aemilia's sake. She'd been home for the last week, still laid up in bed and utterly hating it, but it took time to recover from an injury like hers. She wanted badly to get back to work and would probably be mildly jealous when she woke up and learned of Lukas' whereabouts, but there was nothing she could do but take it easy and wait to get cleared by the doctor to return to normal activities.

Summer closed her door and yawned again, trudging to the bathroom for a shower that would hopefully wake her up. She'd been hoping to sleep in that day for once, but alas, fate had other plans.

The manor had been quiet for the last few weeks, and she hadn't seen much of her husband in those days. He was gone a lot, along with Natasha, Thor, and the no longer sidelined Sam, plus their lower level men. They'd been conducting raids on Triad targets with Steve's SHIELD strike team, hitting back strategically and inflicting damage where it would hurt the most. SHIELD had taken in a number of valuable prisoners and the Triad's drug supply had been particularly hurt after a shipment of components had been intercepted and two of their underground labs found and destroyed. Apparently it was a solid strategy; cripple the enemy first before going in for the kill. It would never be that simple, of course, but it was proving effective so far.

The call that Bucky had received warning of the Triad's last attack had been traced by Tony back to a Manhattan payphone - apparently those still existed on a handful of streetcorners - and from there it was traced to a burner phone. The trail ended there, and the question remained of whom had given that warning and why. It was almost as burning of a question as who the Triad's man or woman on the inside was, but they hadn't made a lot of progress on that front as of yet. In fact, they still had no idea who it could be.

All of it made Summer's head spin. There was a war going on outside the manor on the streets at night but she didn't see any of it. She went to work under heavy protection and came home and went to sleep at night under equally heavy protection, and every day her husband and friends risked their lives over a conflict that had reached the breaking point thanks to her very own actions, when she killed the Triad's heir.

She'd been talking to Bruce twice a week, trying to process it all and keep her sanity intact. It was a tall order, considering her recent realization that she was deeply in love with Bucky and that epiphany leading her to wonder if she really was insane after all. But the more time that passed, the more that she knew just how true it really was.

Her heart would drop in her stomach and jump into her throat at the same time whenever she'd walk into a room and find him there. Her face would flush and skin tingle when they made eye contact, and the sound of his voice was enough to send her mind spiraling down a rabbit hole of fantasies that bewildered even her with their intensity and detail.

Put simply, she'd never experienced anything like it before. She'd loved her first boyfriend back in high school with all the wide-eyed idealism and naïveté of her teenaged self, sort-of loved her college boyfriend and _definitely_ loved Scott, having shared her first healthy and satisfying romantic relationship with him, but Bucky... he was something else entirely, and so was what she felt for him. She couldn't explain it with mere words or any kind of logic, except that it was easily the most consuming thing she'd ever felt in her life. It was sheer, undeniable passion, and _that_... that was new.

Lost in thought, she showered and dressed and headed down to the kitchen in search of food and coffee. She was alone there until she heard a considerable amount of voices coming from the direction of the mansion's main entrance. She was sipping on her giant cup of coffee when she poked her head around the kitchen entrance and peered down the corridor, only to find Scott strolling her way in the sort of clothes that she hadn't seen on him in several years.

"Hey!" he chirped cheerfully, smiling at her as he reached up and took his black hat off and headed straight for the coffee. "Early morning, huh?"

She stared at him for a moment, staring at him before she blurted out the sudden burning question on her mind. "Why do you look like you just came back from breaking in somewhere?"

He paused as he grabbed a mug from a cabinet. "Because I... just got back from breaking in somewhere?"

Her eyes widened. "But... why? If you go back to jail - Scott, Cassie would be _devastated_ and -"

"He's not going back to jail," Bucky suddenly interjected, strolling into the kitchen next. Her eyes immediately snapped to him and her insides performed their familiar acrobatics, just like they always did whenever their paths crossed. He was dressed in all black, hair tied back in a haphazard bun and pieces falling out near his face, and she was fairly sure he had dried or drying blood on the front of his shirt. Somehow, that only made him hotter in some deranged sort of way. "He's been helpful getting us in and out of certain facilities. But he's under my protection. And SHIELD's."

"... Oh," Summer nodded. She stood there a bit awkwardly for a moment before offering Bucky a bit nervously, "Uh, coffee?"

He shook his head. "Thanks, but no. I'm gonna try to go sleep a few hours."

"Yeah, me too," Scott nodded, though he was currently gulping down coffee himself. "Crazy night, man. Haven't actually stayed up all night since... hmm. I'm not sure, actually. College? ... Wait, no." He snapped his fingers and then looked at Summer. "The night I had to call you to come and fill in for my getaway driver."

Summer's eyes widened and she hissed, " _Scott, don't bring that up_."

Bucky, however, was apparently intrigued. "You drove a getaway car?"

She sighed and waved dismissively. "I... it was once. And I wanted to kill him."

"Yeah she did," Scott chuckled. "She was panicking the whole time. A cop drove past us and she almost threw up all over the steering wheel. Then we had to stop so she could calm down and the ironic thing is a cop actually did catch us -"

Summer blushed and furiously squealed, " _Scott, shut up_!"

He didn't hear her. " - But not because of that, it was because we were both naked in the backseat and..." He suddenly clammed up, realizing what he'd just said and whom he'd said it to.

Summer could see Bucky's left eye twitch as he stared at Scott as if he was contemplating all the different ways that he could kill him where he stood. Summer groaned and slapped a palm over her face, and Scott had the expression of a kid who'd just been caught doing something horrible by a parent.

Bucky eventually took a deep breath and said calmly, "Listen, I know you two used to have a relationship but Scott, if I hear one more word come out of your mouth about how you used to fuck my wife, I will rip off your dick and choke you with it. Got it?"

Scott nodded rapidly, briefly closing his eyes and giving two thumbs up. "Got it, boss. Yep. Dick choking. And not the good kind. Message received. I'm just gonna... go to bed. Night, guys."

He then waved and smiled awkwardly to the couple and walked off, and once he was gone Summer let out a sigh and muttered, "I'm gonna kill him."

Bucky's eyes flickered back to her and, to her slight surprise, looked her over as if he rather liked what he saw. It was more than she expected to get for jeans, a slightly oversized sweater and damp hair.

"... A getaway car, huh?"

She blushed and looked away, shaking her head and smiling. "I've been known to be... adventurous, I guess... on occasion."

He tossed her a lazy half-smirk. "I bet you have." Then he turned and headed out of the kitchen, presumably on his way to bed at 7:20 AM, and she watched him go with her silly smile still stuck on her face. It didn't leave her lips even after he was long gone and she was making her way up to Aemilia's room armed with a fully stocked breakfast tray.

She really was rather fond of her memories of that getaway car and what had happened in it, regardless of how little she enjoyed having the details broadcasted to other people. But she could only wonder just how much more adventurous she might turn out to be with a man as dark and intense as Bucky, whom she imagined to be simply indescribable in bed.

She hoped to find out someday. In the meantime, they still had a first date to get around to.

* * *

"You know," Aemilia said a few hours later, curled up comfortably in bed as the credits rolled on a movie that she and Summer had just watched, "whatever Lukas told you, I really _don't_ need a babysitter. You don't have to sit here with me all day if you don't want to."

"No, I totally want to!" Summer replied, happily buried in a nest of fluffy pillows next to her friend. "I mean, it's Saturday and I have nothing else to do anyway. Plus I love being in this nerd cave. It makes me happy."

Aemilia giggled softly. "Well, I'm happy to have you. You do a very good job at distracting me from how crazy I'm going being stuck here in bed like a useless... I don't know. I had a word just now but then I instantly forgot it. I swear, pregnancy is a bizarre experience."

"So 'pregnant brain' is real?" Summer asked with a smile.

"Yes!" Aemilia exclaimed, eyes wide. "Did I ever tell you how a few weeks ago I couldn't find my phone and I scoured the entire manor for it? Turned out that I had put it in the refrigerator. The _refrigerator_. And I forget _everything_ now! It's like I swapped out my brain for a bowl of mashed potatoes."

Summer laughed. "Well, I don't think that's mashed potato level bad. I mean, I do stuff like that all the time and I have no excuse."

Aemilia raised an eyebrow. "Have you ever tore your room apart looking for your reading glasses only to eventually realize they were on your face the whole time?"

Summer paused. "... No, but I don't have reading glasses, so that doesn't count."

Aemilia sighed and shrugged. "I'm telling you, it's just crazy. I hope once this baby comes I get my brain back."

"Ooh!" Summer grinned. "Speaking of the baby, any name ideas yet?"

"We're debating," Aemilia grinned back. "We had a much easier time with boy names than girl names. We're both far too picky. I tend to like classic names and he likes very unique names. We're trying to find something in the middle."

"Well, I'm sure whatever you end up picking will be awesome," Summer smiled. "And you've got like 20 more weeks to go, so you've got time."

"Not nearly enough," Aemilia fretted. "We still have the nursery to get together, and we need to baby proof our entire suite. We have so many things a crawling baby could get into or stick into their mouths and choke on. I mean, do you realize how many things qualify as choking hazards? It's terrifying. This place is a deathtrap."

Summer's eyes widened. " _Oookay_ , on that note, why don't we change the subject to something that won't give us both panic attacks?"

"Please," Aemilia nodded, expression a bit stricken.

Summer thought for a moment, then blurted, "So I asked Bucky out on a date a few weeks ago."

Aemilia paused and then suddenly straightened, brows shooting up towards her hairline. "... _What_?"

Summer nodded, cringing on both the inside and the outside. "Yeah... I, uh... trimmed his hair and... he kinda... he started asking me things and I just... kinda freaked out a little and had this life-epiphany and..."

"Epiphany about what?" Aemilia asked, brows somehow getting even higher.

Summer smiled, blushed and muttered, "Uh... well... see... the Director of SHIELD offered to put me in witness protection and get me away from... everything, basically."

Aemilia's mouth fell open. "... She _did_?"

Summer nodded. "And I turned her down. Which is crazy, right? I mean, I was literally sold to the mob and forced into a marriage with someone who is absolutely terrifying, and then someone came along offered me a way out. And I said no. Why would I do that? Aside from actually liking it here and having you and more friends than I've ever had before."

Aemilia stared at her, putting the pieces together until her jaw dropped even further. "... Are you saying what I think you are?"

Summer nodded and then collapsed back into her nest of pillows, staring up at the ceiling as she sighed, "Yep. I'm in love with a super hot and super scary Russian mob boss."

Aemilia smiled and shook her head, her eyes betraying her excitement. "Oh, Summer. And you've been keeping this inside these last few weeks? How have you not lost your mind?"

Summer glanced at her. "... I kinda think I have. Thus being in love with Walking Sex and Murder."

Aemilia giggled. "Walking Sex and Murder?"

"It's what he is!" Summer exclaimed. "And I told him we could go have our first date when you got back and things settled down, so... I think I need to actually follow through on that pretty soon. But the problem is I have literally no idea what to even suggest for a date and I get the feeling he barely remembers what a date even is."

Aemilia's expression became wonderfully devilish and she reached for her phone. "I can help with that."

Summer sprang back up into a sitting position. "You can?"

"Of course I can," Aemilia winked. "Now, let's see what we can find. It's New York City and if there's any place in the world where there's _always_ somewhere to go and have a fabulous time on a date, it's here."

"Okay," Summer nodded. "Just... no dancing. I'm not ready for that yet."

Aemilia smiled at her. "Why not?"

"Because I have two left feet and I'd be so nervous I'd probably barf on him," Summer groaned. "So no dancing."

"Fine, no dancing," Aemilia chuckled. " _Relax_."

"I can't relax," she replied. "We're talking about a date with my husband."

"You know," Aemilia noted, "you two have the most peculiar relationship. Marriage first, then a bit of fun against a door, _then_ the first date."

"... And still no kiss," Summer nodded. "Which is like the biggest bummer of all. Have you _seen_ his lips?"

"I have," Aemilia grinned. "Lukas says they feel rather wonderful."

"... That's just not even fair."

After a handful of more giggles, Aemilia began searching for date ideas and initiated a shortlist. She named possibilities and Summer said yes or no, and the ones that made the cut went on the list. Most of them were fairly traditional, ranging from dinner and a movie to dinner and a snowy carriage ride through Central Park, but Summer axed most of the ideas. Either they were too overtly romantic or too _not_ romantic, and it was hard to find the appropriate balance for a couple as _peculiar_ as Summer and Bucky.

But then Aemilia checked Google to see if any local concerts were coming up, and that was when they finally struck gold.

"Oh!" Aemilia said, staring at her phone with her features lit up. "This is absolutely perfect!"

"What?" Summer asked, trying to peer over Aemilia's shoulder at the screen.

Aemilia smiled and turned the phone so Summer could see. "Concert in the park. Tonight. Someone both you and Bucky love."

Summer stared at the phone and then gasped. "Oh my God! _Frick_! But... that's _tonight_."

Aemilia nodded. "What's the problem?"

"Well... I mean, I'm guessing it's sold out by now," Summer shrugged. "We'd probably be stuck way in the back with like... 80's moms. In the snow. Because it's in a park."

Aemilia thought for a moment, then closed the window on her phone and went to her contacts. "Good point. Well, let me just shoot him a text."

Summer stared at her. "... Shoot _him_ a text? Him _who_?"

Aemilia smiled a little sheepishly and then showed her her phone screen again, this time displaying a contact listed as simply JBJ.

Summer's eyes widened to comical proportions. "... You have Jon Bon Jovi's number in your contacts."

"He played a charity benefit we threw a few years ago," Aemilia smiled, going back to typing. "He's very nice. Almost sort of shy, if you can believe it. But I'll make sure you and Bucky get good seats, don't worry."

Summer continued to gape like a fish. "... What _other_ celebrities do you have in your contacts?! Like... what the frick?!"

"Well, I have a few," she admitted, hitting send and then scrolling through her contacts. "A few well-known journalists... Adele played that same benefit and she was absolutely delightful, and we email on occasion."

Summer let out an exasperated giggle. "Sure, yeah, emailing Adele, no big deal."

Aemilia giggled back. "Let's see, who else... oh! Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel. I've met their son, he's adorable."

Summer's entire face twitched. "Are you even serious?!"

"Oh yes," Aemilia chuckled. "Oh, and we attended a ball last year and met Bill and Hillary Clinton. They were very, very nice. I have the picture somewhere around here," she gestured to the room at large. "It might be in my dresser somewhere."

"... I am _not_ opening any drawer on that dresser ever again," Summer blinked. " _Wow_."

Aemilia blushed a little, knowing what she was referring to. "Oh, and I ran into Taylor Swift at the gym once. She had no idea who I was. We talked about sports bras and sushi."

Summer, continuing to barely believe what she was hearing, suddenly widened her eyes and gasped. "Wait a minute. Wait. A. Minute."

Aemilia widened her eyes as well. "What?"

"... Have you ever met Tom Hiddleston?"

The look on Aemilia's face was all the answer Summer needed.

She squealed and flailed and, in the process, threw at least three pillows up into the air. "Oh my God Aemilia! And you didn't _tell_ me?! We watched _Crimson Peak_ together and you listened to me freak out and never thought to mention that _you know him_?!"

By now Aemilia was laughing quite heartily. "Calm down! We're not especially close, but -"

" _Not especially close_?!" Summer all but shrieked. "What does that mean?!"

"It just means that we happened to be invited to the same event once and that he's lovely," Aemilia laughed. "It was the UNICEF ball, about two years ago. Lukas and I were actually assigned to the same table as him."

Summer grabbed a pillow, held it over her face and then screamed into it. Then she dropped the pillow and asked, "Was he as beautiful in real life as he is on TV?"

"Better," Aemilia winked. "And he and Lukas look so alike it's truly remarkable."

Summer made a sound vaguely like a dying seal. "Oh my God. Was he nice?"

"The _nicest_ ," Aemilia grinned. "He wasn't even annoyed when Lukas spent almost the entire night flirting with him incessantly."

Summer nearly had an aneurysm in response to _that_. "He _did_?!"

"He couldn't help himself," Aemilia shrugged. "Tom reminded him of his boyfriend from college, whose name was also Thomas, if you can believe that. Nothing came of all the flirting, before you ask. But it was a lovely night."

While Summer sat there in a bewildered stupor, contemplating the very universe and her existence within it, Aemilia quietly snatched her phone and started composing a text. Summer only noticed what she had done after Aemilia hit the send button, at which point she blinked and realized that Aemilia had her phone in the first place.

"What did you just do?" she asked in sudden alarm, grabbing the phone back as Aemilia smiled mischievously.

"Oh, nothing," Aemilia lied as Summer pulled up her text messages and let her jaw hit the ground. Aemilia had texted Bucky for Summer, and the text read a bit differently than a text from Summer would have.

 _Hey_ , it said, _there's a Bon Jovi concert in the city tonight at 8. I thought it would make for a fun first date. Want to have dinner first, restaurant of your choice? ;)_

Summer stared at her phone in disbelief, then stared at Aemilia in mild horror. "You - you put a _winky smiley face_ at the end!"

"... Yes," Aemilia smiled, furrowing her brows a little.

" _Aemilia_ ," Summer blinked, "a winky smiley face is like offering your body up on a silver platter. Like, it would have been less obvious if you'd said _and after dinner I'll give you a blow job in the alley way_."

"Oh, now that's just an exaggeration," Aemilia laughed. "But I don't think it would necessarily be a _bad_ thing if you _wanted_ to take him into an alley and maybe give him a little extra -"

"No!" Summer squeaked, face reddening to epic proportions. "Oh my God! The whole point of dating first is so I don't just... jump headfirst into all of this and immediately hop into bed with him before I really know him. Because trust me, I want to do everything under the _sun_ to him but I _can't_. I don't work like that and I just -"

"I understand," Aemilia said, taking her hand in an attempt to calm her down. "I do. I didn't mean it like that and I think that you are absolutely right to take things slow."

Summer nodded, taking a deep breath. "I just... he still makes me so nervous. I feel _so_ _much_ just when he looks at me and... that scares me to death because I've never felt anything like that."

"I think I know what you mean," Aemilia smiled, leaning back against the headboard. "Obviously Lukas and I met under much different circumstances, but... I was drawn to him in ways that I didn't even know were possible outside of works of fiction. It took us time to come together too, and in that time we both endured such... incredible frustration."

Summer chuckled. "You were engaged to someone else first, right? Forced into it?"

Aemilia nodded. "He was an older man, in his 50s. I tried to just... accept my lot in life but that was impossible, I couldn't do it. And every time mine and Lukas' paths would cross... _God_. Just one look from him and I wanted to fall to my knees and spend the rest of my life pleasing him."

Summer gulped a little. "That's... really hot."

Aemilia looked at her and smirked. "I wouldn't sleep with him while I was engaged, but... we came close a few times. Once, at a party, he caught me in a hallway and pulled me into this little room. He didn't turn on the light so we were standing there in the dark, me between him and the wall, and he... kissed down my neck and held me against him and told me in... _excruciatingly_ explicit detail what he would do to me if I were his."

Summer's jaw had long since hit the floor. "Oh... my God."

Aemilia bit her lip, eyes a little dark as she recalled that particular memory. "I guess what I'm getting at is that I know what you're feeling. It's like this fire inside of you and it... roars to life in his presence. It never leaves you, not even during the most mundane moments of the day. It's always there... sometimes simmering and sometimes utterly consuming you. And nothing can ever quite quench it, because only he can do that."

"That is... better than I could have ever put it myself," Summer said, rather impressed by those words. " _Wow_."

Aemilia smiled. "We're lucky women, you know. Not all of us get to ever feel something like that."

As Summer considered that idea, her phone buzzed in her lap and stole her attention. She read the incoming text and smiled to herself, then glanced up to Aemilia and said, "He said yes."

Aemilia smiled with pride. "Good. I had a feeling he would. He would have been crazy not to, because for one it's a date with _you_ , and secondly he loves 80s music."

"He does?" Summer grinned.

"Oh yes," Aemilia nodded.

"... So he likes _Jane Eyre_ and 80s rock," Summer sighed, staring down at her phone absently. "And the color black. Tattoos. Coffee. Chocolate. Whiskey. I guess I'm slowly getting to know him a little better."

"Slowly but surely," Aemilia smiled.

"What else does he like?" Summer asked, her curiosity always rather overwhelming when it came to him.

Aemilia paused and thought for a moment. "See... I think you should find that out for yourself. Because I can tell you things about him all day long but it's just not the same as finding out from him, you know?"

"Yeah... I mean, you're right," Summer nodded. "But getting him to talk about anything like that is... _not_ easy."

"Well, nothing worth having ever comes particularly easily," Aemilia pointed out. "Just... try to enjoy the ride while you're on it. You'll only get to do this once with him."

"... Go through an awkward first date with him and want to throw up just thinking about it?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of the butterflies and the excitement," Aemilia chuckled. "But yes, that too."

Summer leaned back and stared into space, letting out a deep breath and then asking the next natural question.

"... What the heck am I gonna wear?"

"I'll be the judge of that," Aemilia decreed. "Go to your room and start bringing me potential outfits."

Summer groaned and rolled out of Aemilia's bed. This was gonna take awhile, and she wasn't looking forward to it.

* * *

A little while later, a freshly showered and regrettably sleep-deprived Bucky sat on the edge of his bed staring at his phone with his finger hovering over the send button. Without so much as a towel on to cover him, he was physically quite comfortable in his favored naked state but mentally a very different story.

He hadn't been on an actual real date in ten years. More than ten years, actually. He wasn't sure that he even remembered _how_ to date. Apparently they were having dinner and catching a concert in the park, but... was he supposed to pick her up at her room with a bouquet of flowers? Or at least _a_ flower? Or _something_? He assumed that he should open doors for her and try to be a gentleman, but he also knew that some women took exception to such actions and preferred to get their own doors. She didn't strike him as being like that and he'd opened doors for her before, but this was a date and therefore different. Or was it?

He finally swallowed his pride and hit the send button, prepared for the inevitable consequences. It was a simple one-lined text sent to Lukas, saying simply, _Summer asked me out on a date and I said yes_.

Even though Lukas was quite busy at work, his reply came almost hilariously fast. _If you want advice you're going to have to give me a minute. I'm waiting for the paramedics to arrive with the defibrillator._

Bucky rolled his eyes and quickly tapped out a reply. _Come on, man. I haven't been on a date since college_.

Lukas started typing as soon as Bucky's text was delivered. _I'm aware. What's the date?_

Bucky quickly explained the date and what he and Summer were doing. Lukas took a few more moments to reply that time.

 _Simple enough_ , he said. _Take her to dinner somewhere casual but nice. She'll be more comfortable at a place where a salad doesn't cost $99. She's the traditional sort so open her doors for her and be a gentleman, if you remember what that is. And for God's sake, James, speak in more than two word sentences._

Bucky wasn't sure which part to take offense to first. If he remembered what a gentleman _was_? _Two word sentences_? What?

 _Stop glaring at me through your phone and go find something to wear,_ a new text read, as if Lukas could see Bucky though his phone. Bucky blinked and then another text came through. _Wear your hair down. She likes your hair_. Bucky furrowed his brows and started typing, only to get interrupted by another text. _And your thighs. Hair and thighs. Wear those black jeans of yours. Those things have even given me a rather filthy thought or two._

Bucky sighed and ran a hand through his damp hair. _I'm gonna kill you_.

 _No_ , Lukas replied, _you're going to kill her. Or at least bring new meaning to the term "Slippery When Wet". See what I did there?_

Lukas followed that up with a number of tongue-out laughing emojis, devil face emojis, and no less than ten waterfall emojis. Bucky groaned and dropped his face into his hands before replying, _I hate you_.

 _You love me_ , Lukas responded. _Just try not to think too much tonight. Try to have fun and let your guard down a bit. She's good for you._

Bucky sighed and replied with a simple _ok_ , though in reality he was terrified. Letting his guard down and having fun was not something that he was especially good at, especially in this kind of context. Hell, when he'd gotten Summer's text inviting him on their date - a text which sounded suspiciously like Aemilia had authored it, what with the winky face - he had typed out a full reply gently turning her down and backing out before he'd deleted it and hastily agreed before he could talk himself out of it. Now there was no going back, and the mere thought of that nearly sent him into a spiral of panic.

 _And stop panicking_ , a new text suddenly said. _I know you are, and you need to stop it. You are allowed a chance to be happy, James, no matter what your guilt is telling you._

Bucky actually smiled a little, shaking his head slightly as he reread that message a few times. Lukas knew him all too well. _I'll try my best_.

With that, he locked his phone and tossed it aside. It was still fairly early in the afternoon, so he had a decent amount of time to kill before he'd have to get ready for the date. He got up and got dressed, throwing on clothes to spar in, figuring he'd go and pass the time in the gym downstairs. On his way, he'd check on Aemilia and make sure she was okay and didn't need anything.

It had been about an hour and a half since he'd accepted Summer's date proposal. Hair thrown back in a loose, still-damp bun, he headed down to Aemilia's suite and prepared to knock on her door, unaware that Summer was in there with her.

Meanwhile, with the bed covered in outfits that Summer had brought in and tried on to get Aemilia's opinion, Summer draped the winning clothes over her lap and asked her a question that had been quietly burning in the back of her mind. "So... a few weeks ago in the hospital, when we were all talking about the, uh... lack of straight people in the house..."

"Yes?" Aemilia nodded, amused.

"You and Lukas kind of... had this look when Bucky mentioned Steve being straight, so I couldn't help but wonder if there was a story there."

"Oh," Aemilia chuckled, blushing a little. "You noticed that. Well... you see, ah... on my second to last birthday, we had this big enormous party here and Steve came, and -"

Whatever story she was about to tell was interrupted by a knock on the door of her suite. Aemilia paused and then gave Summer an apologetic smile. "To be continued. Come in!"

Summer groaned and pouted a little, desperately wanting to hear more of the story. Then she heard a familiar voice call from around the corner, " _Hey, it's me_ ," and she panicked and started throwing all the clothes off of the bed and into a hopefully inconspicuous ball on the floor while Aemilia watched and barely stifled a laugh.

When Bucky made his way to the bedroom, he found Aemilia grinning at Summer, who was sitting next to her in bed and plastering a forced smile on her face. He paused in the doorway and looked between both girls before asking, "Am I interrupting something, or..."

"Nope!" Aemilia chirped. "Come on in. There's room for one more." She patted the side of the bed next to her, the one that Summer wasn't occupying.

His eyes briefly flashed to Summer again, and she smiled nervously as he made his way to the bed. "I just wanted to check on you and see if you needed anything."

Aemilia shook her head cheerfully as Bucky settled in next to her, one of his legs dangling off the bed. "Summer's been with me all day, bless her heart. She's taken very good care of me in Lukas' absence."

"Good," Bucky smiled, more than aware of how awkward the atmosphere currently was as soon as silence fell. Summer was fiddling with her fingers like she always did when she was nervous and Bucky wasn't sure if he should say something about the upcoming date or not. He started staring at his hands too, and after glancing at them both, Aemilia sighed and broke the brief silence.

"All right, you two are going on a date later and you're nervous and neither of you know how to act around each other," Aemilia said, waving a hand in both of their directions. "You're also both grown, mature adults and as adorable as I find your anxiety levels, this is honestly a bit ridiculous."

"... Fair enough," Summer replied quietly after clearing her throat.

"I'm not nervous," Bucky lied.

Aemilia gave him a look. "Yes, and I'm the Princess of Genovia."

Bucky smirked a little and Summer's eyes lit up. "Do you like the _Princess Diaries_?!"

"Darling, the _Princess Diaries_ changed my life," Aemilia chuckled, much to Summer's delight. "Now, since I have you both here... I have an idea."

Bucky's expression became instantly suspicious. "Oh God."

Aemilia merely smiled brightly and pointed to the entertainment center across from her bed. "On the very top shelf to the far left, there's a blank case with a few DVDs inside."

Bucky narrowed his eyes. "If you're trying to show me the tape that you and Lukas made with T'Challa -"

Aemilia scoffed and smacked him with a pillow. "Oh, give me a break! Go get the bloody case and put one in my DVD player! It's old home movies that Lukas recently had converted to DVDs from dinosaur VHS tapes."

Bucky, on his way to get up from the bed, suddenly paused. "Wait... you mean movies of us when we were kids?"

Aemilia grinned and nodded excitedly. "I watched a little bit with him but we didn't get to see them all. And I thought your wife," she threw an arm around Summer, "would like to see you as a wee lad."

"Oh, definitely!" Summer smiled, nodding enthusiastically.

"There you have it!" Aemilia beamed. "Go put it in! Just pick a random one, I don't think they're labeled yet."

"Fine, fine," Bucky muttered, pretending to find the whole thing quite burdensome when in reality he was a bit intrigued as to what could be on those videos. He hadn't seen any of them in years, if ever - he couldn't remember - and his childhood at the manor had passed so long ago that it seemed like it had happened in an entirely different lifetime. But it hadn't, and these videos would be the proof.

Once he located said videos, he followed Aemilia's instructions and picked one at random. He put it in the DVD player and then headed back to bed, getting in next to Aemilia and sneaking a quick glance at Summer that she returned. He would have been lying if he'd said that he didn't love the way that she blushed and looked away, hiding a smile.

Then the first video began to play. All three of them watched as a warm, sunny day on the manor's grounds came to life on the TV, the camera landing on a pint-sized Thor and Lukas. Thor had a red cape tied around his neck and an oversized toy mallet in his hand, and Lukas was wearing a green cape and carrying a big, sharp stick.

"Lukas," the person holding the camera - Frieda, undoubtedly - called out softly, "be careful with that thing. You'll take someone's eye out."

"I'm fine, Mother," Lukas replied in an adorably high-pitched voice, no older than 9. Then he turned back to his brother and said, "Now, fight me, brother! Or are you too much of a coward?"

Little Thor simply laughed and aimed his hammer at Lukas. "Ha! It is you who is the coward, evil _Loki_! What kind of villain locks away a helpless princess in a tower?"

"She likes it there!" Lukas retorted. Then he looked up and asked, "Don't you, Princess?"

Then the camera panned up, to a treehouse sitting atop the tree just behind the two boys. A headful of brown hair slowly popped up, and a slightly irate and equally tiny Bucky yelled down, "Why do I have to be the stupid princess?"

"Somebody has to be the princess!" Thor called back.

"Yes," Lukas agreed, "and since I'm the god of mischief, Thor needs a damsel in distress to save, so stop whining and be the princess!"

Bucky made a cute little face of pure anger and then spat, "This sucks!"

Lukas huffed. "Next time you can be a big scary Frost Giant, okay?"

Bucky paused. "... Fine. But I'm _not_ having fun right now," he declared. Then he sighed and begrudgingly called out in a hilariously girly voice, "Oh, Mighty Thor, will you please come and save me from this annoying, mean, _ugly_ monster?"

" _Hey_!" Lukas squeaked with outrage.

"Of course I shall save you, fair maiden!" Thor roared before the mock-battle began anew. Frieda laughed from behind the camera, capturing the entire battle from start to finish. Lukas fought valiantly but ended up having his stick broken in half by an overly enthusiastic Thor, and when he refused to concede the battle, Thor tackled him to the ground and tickled him until he finally gave in, in typical big brother fashion.

"I think that's cheating, dear," Frieda told Thor, chuckling affectionately.

"No, it's strategy!" Thor laughed. Then he looked up at the treehouse and said, "Come down, my lady! I have slain the monster that captured you!"

Grumbling, Bucky climbed out of the treehouse and down the ladder that led to it. Once he was back on the ground, Frieda asked, "Are you going to kiss the princess, mighty Thor?"

Thor and Bucky both made faces of sheer horror and revulsion. "Mother, we're just pretending!" Thor replied, aghast.

Then Lukas ran up to Bucky and exclaimed, "I'll kiss the princess!" He then planted a tiny kiss on Bucky's cheek and ran off cackling like a true little villain, while Bucky wiped off his cheek as vigorously as he could.

Thor, meanwhile, picked his toy hammer back up and proclaimed as he began chasing his brother, "You foul beast! I shall defend the maiden's honor!"

"You'll have to catch me first!" Lukas laughed. As he ran, he pointed to Bucky and exclaimed, "Look, a Frost Giant!"

Relieved to no longer be the token damsel in distress, Bucky smiled and set off to join the fight as a fearsome monster of legend. Frieda laughed and then ended the video, and as soon as it was over, Summer couldn't contain her reaction.

"... That was literally the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life, and I'm dead," she said, one hand over her heart.

Bucky, for his part, couldn't quite get the smile off of his face. "Fucker even tried to kiss me back when we were kids. I'd forgotten about that."

"Well, you did make an exceptionally pretty princess," Aemilia teased with a smile. Bucky rolled his eyes as the next video began.

This one began much differently, showing Thor's grinning and still very young face before he flipped the camera around and filmed himself walking into a bedroom. Inside were Bucky and Lukas, both wearing sharp little suits they were required to wear for a party taking place downstairs, and Lukas was fixing Bucky's very haphazard tie.

"What's taking you guys so long?" Thor asked, zooming in annoyingly closely on his brother's face.

"He tried to tie his tie himself and it took me forever to get it undone," Lukas said, not even looking at the camera. "We'll be ready in a few minutes."

"Why do I even have to go to this party?" Bucky asked, visibly annoyed and nervous, looking entirely uncomfortable in his surprisingly well-tailored suit.

"Because Mother says you're a part of our family now, and the whole family has to be there," Thor replied cheerfully.

"But I don't know anyone down there," Bucky frowned. "Am I gonna have to talk to anyone?"

"Just stay with us," Lukas replied, nearly finished. "The people at these things are old and boring. Children are supposed to be seen, not heard. At least that's what Father says."

As if on cue, the door burst open and an angry, deep male voice demanded in Russian, " _Why are you three not downstairs yet_?"

Thor turned the camera on the stern, unmerciful face of his father in the doorway as Lukas replied in English, "Almost ready, Father." One word barked at Lukas in irritation later, Lukas visibly flinched and repeated those same three words in flawless Russian.

" _Hurry up_ ," their father grumbled before turning his eyes to Thor's camera. " _And turn that ridiculous thing off before I burn it_."

After he left, slamming the door shut behind him, Thor noted, "Well, he's in a bad mood."

"He's always in a bad mood," Bucky said quietly, a little wide-eyed.

Lukas, however, didn't say anything. He simply finished fixing the tie and then swallowed before saying tightly, "Done. Let's go."

Lukas hurried for the door and Bucky trailed behind him while Thor turned the camera around on himself and sighed, "Time for another long, boring night. And my suit is itchy. I hate suits."

Then the video ended, and this time, nobody in the audience was smiling.

"... Their dad seems like a massive douchebag," Summer noted, glancing at the two sitting next to her.

"That's an understatement," Aemilia sighed, looking particularly displeased and saddened by what she'd seen.

Bucky stayed silent, frowning at the screen and hoping that whatever came on next wouldn't remind him of the tyrant that Lukas and Thor had been under the thumb of for most of their lives. To his relief, a much more lighthearted video followed the last.

Lukas played cameraman for this one, and after a brief shot of his feet walking stealthily along the carpeted floor, he turned the camera on his older, 16 year old face and whispered, "So, our dear friend James has been barricaded in a bathroom for the last fifteen minutes. We're going to unlock the door with this," he held up a butter knife and grinned, "and see what the hell he's doing in there."

"Oh, this should be good," Summer grinned, and Aemilia giggled as Bucky tried to remember what the heck this video was even about. The camera turned on the door as Lukas quickly wedged the knife between the lock and the wall, and with one obviously practiced turn of his wrist, the door popped open. Lukas then strolled inside and called, "Oh, James, darling, did you drown in the bath or... _dear God, man, what is on your face_?"

Standing in front of the mirror with his short hair wet and some kind of odd green creamy mask on his face, Bucky startled at the intrusion and panicked a little. "I - it's something your mom gave me, for - for zits, and - _are you filming this_?!"

"No, no, I just like lugging this thing around and pretending to film you," Lukas retorted as Bucky glared at him.

"Turn it off," Bucky said, shielding his face with his hand as Lukas invaded his personal space and put the lens just inches from his face. "Stop it! Fucking -"

Bucky reached for the camera and Lukas jerked it away. "Say pretty please and I'll think about it!"

"Fuck off."

"... That didn't sound like pretty please."

Bucky made a grab for the camera again and this time Lukas shot off running and Bucky chased after him, still cursing up a storm while Lukas laughed and cried, "Help, I'm being chased by a strange, angry boy in my mother's mud mask!"

The video then cut off, and both girls looked at Bucky with great amusement. Bucky gave them both the side-eye and muttered, "I had a _really_ bad breakout. I was desperate."

"You were super cute," Summer blurted out before she could stop herself. When his eyes flickered to hers she reddened and hastily added, "Not that you aren't still cute now, I just meant... you know. Because you were so young and... you had a baby face and... I just mean -"

"I get it," he chuckled quietly. "Thanks."

She blushed and nodded, and as Aemilia smiled at them both, one more video began to play.

This particular one had taken place in college, during a weekend spent in Boston, where Bucky had attended Harvard. Lukas and Thor had come down from Yale to see him, and when Thor began filming, it was in the midst of a rather lively party. Thor's face was the first one seen, and he lifted up a plastic red cup and said, "Hello, everyone - I'm drunk!"

Summer giggled along with Aemilia. "Oh this should be good."

The happily tipsy Thor swiveled the camera around and scanned the living room he was standing in, which was nearly filled to the brim with fellow drunken revelers. The first pair he focused on was his brother and his companion, a tall blue-eyed man with impressive blonde curls who was laughing as Lukas told him something, his arm slung over the man's shoulders.

"Are you drunk enough yet, brother?" Thor asked with a laugh, interrupting them. Lukas glanced up and laughed.

"I'm never drunk enough," he joked. Then he turned to the man next to him and said, "Say hi to the camera, darling."

"Hi to the camera, darling!" he replied, and both men dissolved into cute, drunken giggles.

Aemilia leaned over towards Summer and said, "That's Thomas, who I mentioned earlier. Lukas' first boyfriend."

"Oh," Summer smiled. "Wow, they're adorable."

Bucky watched Thor work his way though the crowd with a smile on his face, growing nostalgic at the sight of his friends so much younger and _lighter_. But that smile quickly and abruptly faded from his face the minute that the camera focused on _him_.

In this video, he wasn't alone. Thor walked up on him and a petite, pretty redhead whom he was dancing with and smiling down upon like she was the only person in the entire room, and once they caught sight of the camera, they both looked up and waved happily.

Bucky felt like he'd just been stabbed in the heart with a dull, jagged knife.

Aemilia's eyes went wide and she looked at Bucky cautiously, frozen in quiet horror and suddenly regretting her entire idea. Summer was about to ask who the girl was when she noticed how stiff and stricken Bucky looked and how panicked Aemilia seemed. She kept her mouth shut and furrowed her brows, glancing back at the TV and watching as Bucky gave the pretty girl a sweet kiss on her lips and then laughed with her about something only they knew.

Then Bucky's flat, emotionless voice cut through the air. "Turn it off."

Aemilia hurriedly grabbed the remote and powered down the entire DVD player. "I am _so_ sorry, Bucky. I had no idea that she would be in any of the videos. I thought it was mostly the three of you as kids, and..."

Bucky shook his head, not angry at Aemilia in the least. Instead, an entirely different emotion was swelling up in his chest and it propelled him to stand up from the bed and mutter, "It's okay. You didn't know. S'fine."

Aemilia looked up at him, her eyes pained. "Are you all right?"

"M'fine," he replied without looking at either her or Summer, making a beeline for the door and not looking back. He knew what was about to happen, and he preferred to be weak and fall apart in solitude.

He left her room and quickly marched to his own. The moment that he was alone and behind closed doors, he didn't try to stop the wave of sadness, horror and grief that washed over him. Time could make sharp things dull and vibrant memories fuzzy, but some kinds of pain could never truly fade and some wounds could never fully heal. He closed his eyes and leaned back against the door, brows knitting together as he braced himself for the dam to burst as it had so many times before.

Back in Aemilia's room, Aemilia was cursing at herself and Summer was quite confused.

"I'm so stupid," Aemilia groaned, leaning back and raking her hands through her hair. " _So stupid_."

"... Who was she?" Summer asked, a little afraid to know the answer.

Aemilia paused and took a breath, looking at Summer apologetically. "She was his first love. He met her in college, and..."

After Aemilia trailed off, Summer sighed and guessed, "And you can't tell me anything else."

"I'm sorry," Aemilia frowned. "I _could_ , but... it's not my story to tell and there's nothing in the world that he's more sensitive about. I'll tell you this much - the man that he is today, the _Winter Soldier_ , the man who can kill a roomful of men without blinking... his story with her was the catalyst for all of that."

Summer's expression grew sad and a bit scared as she asked, "She's dead, isn't she?"

Aemilia nodded. Summer looked away and grimaced as Aemilia quietly told her, "It's something that he's going to have to tell you if you and him are ever going to get closer. But be patient with him. What he went through was truly horrible, and I'm not sure he's ever dealt with it in any sort of healthy way."

Summer nodded, her overactive imagination coming up with no less than ten possible scenarios for how this woman's death occurred and why it had left Bucky so incredibly broken. "Well, at least now I know a little bit more of what I'm dealing with. Although that's on top of the obvious orphan story that I don't know either, and how he got into the mob to begin with. There's so much I don't know. I don't even know where to start."

"Let him decide where to start," Aemilia advised. "And be gentle with him. Talking about what he's been through is excruciating for him, but... in the end it will be better for him and it'll bring you two closer together." She paused. "I just hope that I didn't accidentally ruin your date."

"Well," Summer said, forcing a smile on her face, "I guess we'll find out in a few hours."

* * *

Over those next few hours, Summer overthought and overworked her brain into a mental pretzel. Her mind spun so many webs and potential scenarios for how Bucky had lost the woman he loved that by the time she was dressed and ready for their date, she was already exhausted.

But why and how had she died? Had it been natural causes, an accident or illness? Or had Bucky's superiors disapproved of her and had her killed? That seemed unlikely, since she imagined Bucky would never stand for such a thing. Maybe she'd been caught in the crossfire once, like Aemilia had been just a few weeks ago? Maybe her death had nothing to do with the mob. Then again, maybe it did.

She had no clue. What she _did_ know was that the woman had been absolutely beautiful - sort of similar to Natasha in appearance, but a lot more innocent and sweet looking - and that Bucky had looked so young and so happy in that video with her. He had looked quite sweet himself, thinner and not the mass of bulk that he was today, his face free of lines and not a touch of premature gray in his hair. There was innocence in his eyes that was long gone now, and it was hard to believe that happily in love boy was the same person as the hard, scarred, complicated man that she knew today.

And now she didn't even know if their date was still on. She was afraid to text him to ask, so instead she paced around her room and scrolled through inane memes on her phone to pass the time. Then when there came a knock on her door, she jumped and dropped her phone to the floor, barely containing a small scream.

She raced to the door, nearly tripping twice over her own booted feet before she finally made it there alive. She quickly pulled the door open, flipped back her loose, long curls, and smiled with relief when she found Bucky standing on the other side, dressed and ready like she was. The date was still on after all.

"Are you ready to..." He trailed off as he blinked and looked her over, apparently falling speechless once he took in her full appearance.

With Aemilia's guidance, she had chosen an oversized burgundy sweater dress for the occasion, paired with over-the-knee black boots that reached her mid-thigh and apparently made quite the impression on Bucky. He stared at them for longer than he realized, and Summer blushed and smiled, "Yeah, I'm ready."

His eyes flashed back up to hers, and her smile widened as he seemed to shake off his momentary distraction. "Yeah. Sorry."

"It's okay," she continued to grin, letting her eyes drag over him while she had the chance. He was dressed in his usual dark shades, black fitted jeans and leather jacket with a gray turtleneck underneath. His hair was down and combed back behind his ears, and the fact that she knew there was probably at least two guns and several blades hidden somewhere on his person somehow only made him all the more alluring. "Um," she quickly said, shaking herself much like he had, "let me just grab my coat and..."

He nodded, and she dashed off to grab said coat as Bucky took a breath and closed his eyes for a few fleeting seconds. She hurriedly tossed the gold peacoat on, grabbed her bag and then smiled brightly as she rushed back to his side. "'Kay, ready."

He gave her an amused look and nodded, gesturing for her to walk in front of him as he pulled her door shut. She took a deep breath and silently prayed that all would go well, especially after the incident with the video earlier in Aemilia's room. She also prayed that she'd manage to make it through the entire date without making an idiot of herself, which was far less likely, if she was being honest.

She was sadly unaware of the way that Bucky stared at her legs as they headed down the hallway and then down the winding staircase. But as it was, he simply couldn't tear his eyes away.

Bucky's motorcycle was waiting for them just beyond the manor's front entrance, and as soon as they stepped out into the cool December night air and Summer saw it, she looked a bit warily at Bucky. He gave her a slightly apologetic look and asked, "Do you mind?"

She sighed as she looked back to the bike, but ultimately, how could she really object to it? As nerve-wracking as she found the concept of motorcycles in general, he looked hot as hell on top of one and she got to hold on to him and press herself tightly against him the entire time. "It's fine," she decided, nodding. He nodded back and tossed her a helmet, which she prayed wouldn't flatten her long, pretty waves too much. In any case, flat hair was better than a cracked skull.

He climbed on the bike first and held out a hand to help her on next. She took it with a smile and delicately hopped on, trying to maintain a small but respectable distance between them as she wound her arms around his middle. As a result, he glanced back at her and reached a hand behind one of her knees, pulling her forward so that there was zero distance between them. She blushed and he said something that nearly made her expire on the spot.

"I don't mind being between your legs." Then he turned his head forward and kicked on the engine while Summer died inside and became convinced that she was probably not gonna make it out of this date alive. But in the good way.

He drove them into the city without incident, the wind cool as it whipped through their hair but not uncomfortably frigid. There was still snow on the ground from the last snowfall a week earlier, and though Summer had been living in New York City for her entire adult life, she didn't think she'd ever quite get over how beautiful the city was during these winter nights.

He parked them a few blocks shy of the restaurant he'd chosen for dinner, mostly due to the lack of parking, but Summer didn't mind the walk. He killed the engine and climbed off first, taking her helmet after she took it off and setting it aside before giving her a hand to help her to her feet.

"Thanks," she smiled, taking her place at his side and trying to not be disappointed when he then placed his hands in his pockets rather than hold one of hers. They started walking, and Summer took a breath and said, "So... thanks for agreeing to all of this."

"Thanks for asking," he replied, sending a brief glance her way. "Though I wasn't sure at first if it was you who wrote that text or Aemilia."

"... It was Aemilia," she admitted with a faint blush. "I was taking too long, so she just... grabbed it and typed it and sent it."

"Figured," he nodded. "The winky face was a dead giveaway."

"That's what I said!" she laughed. "Everyone knows what those mean."

"That's probably why she did it," Bucky pointed out, and Summer's blush deepened a little. It didn't escape his notice.

"Yeah... well, that's... her. So anyway," she chirped, trying to change the subject. "Where we going for dinner?"

"Somewhere new," Bucky replied. "I don't really eat out much. Steve suggested this place. It's Italian."

"Oh, good," she smiled. "I like Italian. Who doesn't like Italian?"

He smiled back at her, that small smile that she was used to, and then a brief moment of silence passed between them. She chewed on her lip for a moment, wanting to keep the conversation going. "So, you grew up here, right?"

"Brooklyn," he nodded.

She nodded back. "Where'd you go to college?"

"Harvard."

She let out a mock-whistle. "Oh wow. Fancy."

He rolled his eyes. "It was all right."

"So you went to Harvard and Lukas went to Yale," Summer mused. "I read that in their book."

"His dad would hear of nothing but Yale," Bucky explained. "Pierce would hear nothing but Harvard for me."

Summer nodded, smiling. "And here I am with my dinky NYU degrees. No Ivy League bragging for me."

"Don't know if I'd use the word dinky," he replied. "You graduated _summa cum laude_ , right?"

Summer paused. "... Yeah, but... how did you know that?"

Bucky paused as well, furrowing his brows before remembering. "Nat told me. Back when we... when I first found out."

"Oh." Well, that wasn't unnerving at all. What else had Natasha told him? She supposed that Natasha could have gathered that info from a quick social media search, but still.

"Anyway, that's impressive," Bucky added, eyes on the sidewalk. "Not dinky."

"... Well, thanks Mr. Harvard," she grinned. He grinned back, and then they passed by a high-end shop with a dress in the window that was so stunning that Summer couldn't help but double take and step backwards to admire more fully. "Oh _wow_... that is... _hot_."

Bucky stepped back as well, looking up at the dress alongside her. It was a deep, vibrant red silk gown, embellished with what might have been actual diamonds throughout its intricate design. It was entirely backless with long sleeves and a tastefully plunging neckline, and it reminded Summer of something Aemilia might wear to a fancy gala.

"You like it?" Bucky asked as she continued to stare at it.

"Oh yeah," she sighed almost dreamily. "But not for me."

One of his brows quirked up. "Why not?"

She tore her gaze away from the dress to look at him. "Well... I mean, look at that thing. It's not really..." She shrugged and turned back to it. "It's gorgeous but I've never worn anything like that before."

He glanced at the dress and then back to her. "You can go in and try it on if you want."

Summer's eyes flashed to his and widened, her jaw dropping a little. "Wh-... really? But... are you serious?"

"Sure, why not?" he asked with a lopsided grin.

She simply stared at him for a moment, at a loss for what to say. "I just... I mean... for one thing it probably costs more than most cars."

"I can afford it," he pointed out.

Her eyes grew even wider. "Yeah but... I can't pull off a dress like that."

Bucky's gaze flashed down to her legs and those damn boots of hers before meeting her eyes again. "I disagree."

Thoroughly speechless, Summer gaped a little more before turning back to the dress in the window and panicking a little inside. If she actually went in there and tried it on and showed him, and he saw her back, he'd also see her tattoo. That was the biggest and most glaring issue with the whole idea, but she couldn't tell him that and keep the ink's existence under wraps. Fretting and biting her lip, she stood there frozen in mild horror until Bucky nudged her with his shoulder. She looked at him and found him still wearing that amused half-grin.

"Come on," he said, gesturing forward with his head. "And breathe."

She chuckled and fell into step beside him, relieved that all of _that_ was over. "Okay. Sorry about that."

"It's okay," he assured her. "But for what it's worth... I think you can pull off anything you want to."

Blushing and hoping that the cold air would help conceal it, she smiled shyly at him and then cast her own eyes down to the pavement. "Never took you as one for sweet talk,"

"I'm not," he grinned back.

"So you're just... feeling overly generous right now?" she asked as they passed through a crosswalk.

He thought for a moment. "No," he decided, looking at her from the corner of his eye. "Just honest."

She didn't have the chance to press him further, because only a few seconds later, they were in front of their destination. He opened the door for her and ushered her into the surprisingly small little restaurant, and from there, things went surprisingly smoothly.

They were seated at a little table in the back, in a private and warm corner of the dining room. Summer studied the menu while Bucky ordered them the most expensive bottle of red wine available, which made her smile to herself and resolve to not drink too much, lest her inhibitions be obliterated too early into the evening. It was hard enough keeping her hands to herself as it was, and if too much wine came into the equation... oh boy.

After they ordered their entrees and their server arrived with their wine, Summer took a slow first sip of the smooth liquid and said, " _Wow_. That's really good, and I'm not usually big on red wine."

"Depends on the kind, the quality," he told her, sipping some himself. "I'm very picky."

She smiled. "That doesn't surprise me. I'm picky too. At least with some things."

"Like what?" he asked, and she was very happy that they were actually talking and not just sitting there in silence.

"Food," she replied. "Like... I hate mushy rice. And mushy noodles. Actually, I just don't like anything mushy. I hate cilantro. I think it tastes like soap."

He furrowed his brows. "Soap?"

"Like Dawn dish soap," she nodded. "What else... I hate beer."

"You _hate_ beer?" he chuckled.

She nodded fiercely. "It's gross. My boyfriend in high school made me try it and made fun of me when I hated it. Acted like I was too wimpy to handle alcohol."

"Well," Bucky mused, " _that's_ definitely not true. I've seen you chug whiskey from the bottle more than once."

"Exactly," she smiled. "I just don't like watered down garbage. Also don't like margaritas. Or tequila. I had a bad experience with tequila in college."

"I think we all have bad experiences with tequila in college," he replied. "I know I did."

"Really?" she grinned. "Tell me more."

Amused with how eager she was, he took another drink and then said, "Well, my freshman year is when I went to the most parties. I'd never really been to any before. At least not parties like _that_. So I went to this one party on a Saturday night, and first I drank this... punch that tasted like motor oil."

Summer made a face. "Ew."

"Then everybody started pouring shots so I was like what the hell. I can't remember much after the fourth shot."

"You blacked out?" she asked, smiling.

"Threw up on the floor and _then_ blacked out," he grimaced. "At least that's what I was told. I don't know. I woke up the next day and felt like I'd gotten the worst flu in the world and been hit by a truck. I swore I'd never drink again."

"But then you did like a month later?"

"A week later," Bucky chuckled. "But I never blacked out again. Getting drunk is fun, but getting _trashed_ is..."

"Disgusting," she finished for him. "I did the same thing once, only it was wine and tequila. I can't really remember anything from that night, but I woke up on the floor of the kitchen where the party was, and, uh... I was missing my underwear."

Bucky's eyebrows flew up his forehead. " _Really_?"

"Yeah, but everyone swore nothing happened," she shrugged. "I don't know about that, though, because I turn into a massive slut when I'm drunk." She then paused and cringed, realizing what she'd just said.

He merely grinned and reached for his glass. "That's a common side effect."

Blushing, she nodded and continued to stick her foot in her mouth. "Yeah, but as far as I know, my number's still 3." She cringed again. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm telling you this."

"Three?" he repeated, gaze turning rather curious.

She nodded, nervously shoving her hair behind her ear. "Yeah. I'm sure that's like... ridiculously low and probably sounds kind of sad to someone like you, but..."

He tilted his head slightly. "Someone like me?"

She faltered for a moment. "Oh, I just meant... well, because... I'm sure you've been with all kinds of... super hot ladies, so..."

His grin returned. "You think so?"

She blushed. "Well... yeah. I mean... look at you," she giggled softly, gesturing to his overall appearance.

"How many women do you think I've slept with?" he asked, apparently quite fascinated with this turn of the conversation.

Mind going blank, she stared off and fumbled for an answer. "Um... I mean... maybe... 30?"

He actually _laughed_ at that.

"... 40?" she guessed, eyes going wide. "50?"

"Summer," he said quietly, setting down his glass and grinning like he'd never been more amused, "I've slept with two women in my lifetime."

She blinked. "Two like... two hundred?"

He shook his head. "Two as in two."

She blinked again. His words were not computing. Here sat Bucky Barnes - her husband - a man who was 33 years old, incredibly handsome and possessing a sexuality that smoldered under the surface for anyone to see, and... he had only slept with two women in his entire life?

As she sat there with her mouth hanging slightly open, their server came by with their food. She snapped her mouth shut and waited until the server had gone to look at Bucky and ask, "Two?"

He unravelled his silverware and dropped the napkin into his lap. "Two."

"... Two."

"Two," he grinned at her, "but I appreciate the assumption of promiscuity on my part."

"Oh, God, that's... that's not what I meant at all, I just -"

"I know," he nodded, still highly amused. "I'm teasing."

She let out a sigh of relief. " _Wow_. I just... I've been assuming this whole time that you were like Bruce Wayne in that department."

He chuckled, taking his first bite. "Definitely not. I've never been much for conquests. And it's not easy finding someone you can trust, doing what I do."

Suddenly, certain things made a lot more sense. "So that's why you and Natasha... because you could trust each other. And, obviously, because you're both like... scalding hot." She cringed again. "Oh my God, I can't stop."

He smiled at her not-so-inner turmoil, a truly genuine smile. "I'll let her know you said that. She'll be flattered."

She chuckled and busied herself by unwrapping her own silverware, reminding herself to actually eat her food rather than just sit there embarrassing herself all night. "I'm sorry, I just... wow. I can't believe I've actually been with more people than you have. My mind is officially blown. How old were you when you lost your virginity?" Her eyes suddenly widened and she slapped her hand over her mouth. "Oh God, you don't have to answer that. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he chuckled. "We're married, for fuck's sake."

That particular statement of his both surprised her and put her nerves at ease. He made it sound so normal and... _real_ , like they really were truly husband and wife and these kinds of questions were par for the course.

"19," he finally replied. "After I went off to college."

"Oh," she nodded, mentally flashing back to the video of him and the pretty redhead. Being his first love, she had no doubt that she was the girl he'd first slept with.

Then, as they both fell silent, it became painfully clear that they were both thinking along the same lines. The air distinctly less comfortable now, Bucky's eyes became a little less focused and he didn't say a word as he ate, and he _looked_ like a man who was silently reliving his past. Regretting having ever broached the subject, Summer quietly ate as well and was on the verge of apologizing when he surprised her by setting down his fork and speaking first.

"Her name was Vivian," he said quietly, like speaking the words caused him physical pain. Maybe they did. "The woman in the video."

In shock that he was speaking of her at all, Summer stared in surprise before her brain caught up to reality. "She was beautiful," she said gently.

He nodded. "Yeah. She... I lost her. It was a car accident."

All of her wild theories laid to rest, Summer's heart gave a pang of sympathy. His eyes were growing visibly watery and the pain was so clearly etched on his face, one would have thought that the wound was still very fresh. "How old was she?"

He blinked, staring at the table. "Happened a couple weeks before her 21st birthday."

 _Oh God_. That was... unthinkably young. And Bucky had probably been the same age. "I'm so sorry."

He nodded absently, that far-away look only growing worse. When he didn't speak again, Summer leaned forward and reached across the table, carefully taking his hand in hers.

"You don't have to talk about her," she told him quietly, his eyes flickering up to hers. "Especially not right now. I want us to have fun tonight and I didn't mean to bring up something so painful for you. But I just... I want you to know that you can always talk to me. About anything. I care about you, and... anything I can do for you, I want to."

He blinked a few times, and she pretended not to notice how misty his eyes had become. He nodded and looked at their hands, replying, "Okay."

She smiled at him and gave his hand a soft squeeze. "Okay."

Then their hands pulled apart, and together they sat there and stared at their food silently for a few moments.

"... You lost your appetite, didn't you?" she asked. He nodded. "Yeah, me too."

"I'm sorry," he muttered, shaking his head.

"It's okay. You know what? Why don't we just... get all this to go and head over to the park?" she suggested with a small smile. "We can walk there and talk more - about non-depressing things - and maybe... get some ice cream or something."

He gave a small huff of a laugh. "It's like... 36 degrees."

"Which makes it even better! Takes longer to melt," she joked, still smiling.

He smiled back, looking at her like he thought she was crazy and fascinating all at the same time. "... Okay."

She smiled and then cheerfully motioned to their server for the check. Their date wasn't even half over yet, and she was determined to salvage it while she still could. She didn't want him to look back on this night and feel sad about past events that neither one of them could ever change. Instead, she wanted to show him how fun life could be, especially since fun wasn't something he ever seemed to allow himself to have.

And that, to her everlasting relief, was exactly what she did.

* * *

After locating an open ice cream shop on their way to the park, Summer dragged Bucky inside and was utterly elated to find bubblegum flavor on the menu. Bucky rolled his eyes - affectionately - at her whimsical choice, opting himself for a flavor called "chocolate death". It was chocolate ice cream with white and semisweet chocolate chips, brownie chunks, ribbons of chocolate ganache, and as if that wasn't enough, the whole thing was smothered in a sauce spiked with chocolate liqueur.

Bucky tried a bite of Summer's pink ice cream and made a face like he'd just tasted baby formula. When she tried his, she nearly vomited from chocolate overload and wagered that he'd never be able to finish it without feeling sick.

He finished it only moments later without even flinching. She decided to never underestimate his love for chocolate ever again.

Once their sugary confections were gone, they continued to stroll through the city and kept their conversation to blessedly lighter topics like music, movies, and their favorite candy bars. Bucky, ever the purist, liked Hershey bars; Summer preferred Reese's cups, but only if they were refrigerated or frozen. It was as he stared at her like she was crazy and far too picky for her own good that his hand slipped subtly into hers, in the midst of her imploring him to try a frozen Reese's cup before he judged her. He gave in with a little smile and she felt like her very soul warmed from the inside out as their fingers twined together.

Walking with him hand in hand through the city, talking about all sorts of irrelevant, silly things, she knew at that moment more than ever just how far she had fallen for him. Every little grin and quiet laugh she earned from him felt like a little piece of heaven she could claim as her own, as tooth-rottingly cheesy and ridiculous as it was, and the truth was that she'd do absolutely anything for him if it meant seeing him smile.

It was a dangerous thing, feeling that way for a man like him. She was painfully aware of how badly this could end for them both and how particularly risky this was for her, but she was helpless to stop any of it. She'd crossed that bridge without even knowing it long ago, it seemed, and now she could barely look at him without bursting at the seams.

She was a fool, and she knew it. But what could she do?

At the park, the crowd was already rather massive. After showing security an email on her phone that Aemilia had forwarded her, they made their way to the seats lined up in front of the stage and took their place in the very front. Really, Summer could hardly criticize the mob when her connections to it got her tickets like these.

She was kidding. Mostly.

Bucky found her quite adorable as she buzzed with excitement in the moments leading up to the main act taking the stage. She bounced on her heels a little bit, smiling like a little kid about to go to Disneyworld for the first time, and when she grabbed him and took an obligatory selfie with him, he didn't have to fake the smile that he flashed the camera.

Then, just minutes later, the show got underway and Summer all but lost her mind. She'd never been front row at a concert before, so once she was only mere feet away from one of her all time favorite bands, she lost all self control and her inner fangirl came bursting out - screaming and all.

And Bucky, as into the the concert as he was himself, nearly doubled in laughter as he watched his wife suddenly devolve into lovesick twelve year old. The best part was, her antics didn't go unnoticed.

In the midst of her favorite song - _You Give Love a Bad Name_ \- the same world-famous singer whom Aemilia had texted on Summer's behalf earlier that day leaned down and grabbed Summer's hand, even winking at her to boot. She instantly turned into a giant pile of Jello - albeit a happily screeching one - and Bucky was nice enough to take a picture of it for her.

After, Summer screamed and turned towards him, grabbing his jacket and squealing unintelligibly. She jumped and down and he laughed more with her in those moments than he'd laughed at one time in years. Her excitement and carefree bliss was contagious, and for a little while, he remembered what it was to feel normal and have _fun_.

Her excitement and enthusiasm didn't wane even after the concert ended and they headed out of the park and back towards where his bike was parked. She was overflowing with energy, babbling at the speed of light and texting the picture that Bucky had taken to Aemilia and Lizzie. She was all but floating on air, and when they got on the bike this time, she hopped on without hesitation and with a spring in her step.

It had been a damn good night, and all in all, an even better first date.

It was late when they got back home to the manor, everyone but a handful of staff in their own rooms and in bed for the night. Summer giggled with leftover nervous energy as she headed up the stairs first, Bucky following close behind. He grinned at her antics and continued to admire her legs and how they looked in her boots and short little dress, his mind automatically picturing how she might look in just the boots and nothing else.

Then, before they both knew it, they had arrived back where they had begun the night - at her bedroom door. She turned to face him and smiled, and he did the same as they both wondered exactly how to end the night.

"So... tonight was amazing," she blushed, giving him a shy little grin. "Thank you for everything."

"Well... you asked _me_ out," he pointed out, "so I should be thanking you."

"Well, then... you're welcome," she giggled, making him smile.

Then they both fell silent, but their eye contact never faltered. Summer, taking advantage of a sudden swell of courage, reached out and took both sides of his jacket in her hands and used them to pull him closer. He came without resistance.

She bit her lip and blushed more deeply, still clutching his jacket. "So..."

He reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear, then let his fingertips trail down the side of her neck. "Hm?"

She tried to breathe and remember how to speak. "You... um... you can come in. If you want."

He smirked, both of his hands migrating to her hips. "Can I?"

"Mhm," she replied a little breathlessly, letting go of his jacket to gently slide both hands up and over his chest as he leaned in closer, head dropping to lightly nuzzle her neck.

"On the first date," he mused near her ear, feigning shock. "Kinda guy do you think I am?"

She smiled and giggled, one hand sliding into his hair as his lips brushed slowly but hotly over her neck, near the same spot he'd heavily marked the last time he'd had her against a door. She closed her eyes and sighed as his hands slipped just under the hem of her dress, "Think you're my husband. And husbands usually... y'know..."

"Maybe I don't know," he murmured, raising his head and looking her in the eye, just a breath away. "Refresh my memory."

Butterflies shooting through her belly at a rapid pace and her blood turning to lava in her veins, she grinned and watched his eyes flicker down to her lips. Taking that as the signal to finally claim the kiss she'd been desperately wanting for a _long_ time now, she closed her eyes and closed the tiny distance between them, initiating their very first kiss.

But then, right at the last minute, it all went terribly wrong. Just when her lips should have touched his, he jerked away and left her hanging. Her eyes flew open and landed on his in confusion, only to find his previously heated, playful eyes now wide and panicked.

It felt like someone had dumped a bucket of cold water down her back. "What?" she asked, sharing his seeming panic. "What's wrong?"

He opened his mouth to answer, but no words came out. Instead, he continued to stare at her as his entire body stiffened and his hands slowly left her hips.

She was at a complete and utter loss. "Bucky, what... did I do something wrong?"

He shook his head, swallowing and clenching his jaw. "No. No, I just..." he looked her over and suddenly looked almost _pained_ , like it hurt to look at her. "I can't."

She furrowed her brows, grasping at straws to try to make sense of what was happening. "Can't what? Can't kiss me?"

He grimaced, stepping away from her entirely and leaving her feeling cold against the door. "I'm sorry."

And then, just like that, he turned and retreated back to the safety of his own room, leaving her to stare after him and wonder what the hell had just happened.

One minute he was all over her, seemingly ready to slip into her room with her and probably rip off her clothes the minute the door would have shut behind them. Then the next, it was like a switch had flipped and he couldn't run away fast enough.

He was willing to screw around with her, touch her and kiss her neck and probably do a hell of a lot more than what they'd done in his room a few weeks before. But he wouldn't kiss her on the lips?

It didn't make sense. She just didn't understand. And she couldn't help but feel hurt at the rejection, shame burning in her cheeks and making her suddenly want to cry. But she pushed the urge away and refused to heed it, not wanting to end what had been such a wonderful night in tears.

But it _did_ hurt. They'd come so far and to be denied a simple kiss, something she'd wanted and had fantasized about more times than she'd ever admit... just _why_?

She took a deep breath, continuing to fight the buildup of tears behind her eyes, and she turned around to open her door and go to bed. The very minute she was alone and safe in there, however, a tear slipped out and trailed down her cheek despite her best efforts to keep it in inside.

 _Dammit,_ she thought as she leaned against the door and decided to hell with it, letting herself cry and get it out of her system. It looked as if she'd managed to ruin the date after all.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Hey everyone! I hope you guys had a wonderful and lovely holiday week, despite the bad news that kept rolling out on the media day after fricking day D: I'm not normally one to really comment on celebrity deaths or take them hard but man, losing Carrie Fisher so suddenly was not something I saw coming and I had really hoped that she'd pull through. Then her mother dying literally the next day... wow, man. There's no words for how horrible that is and we all need to pray for their surviving family and hope they make it through. George Michael is gone now too, just one year older than my own dad was when he died - also from heart problems - and I think that's one of the reasons why these stories are hitting me the way that they are. Please, to you wonderful people reading this story every week, do what you can to stay healthy and monitor your heart health, no matter your age or family history. Nobody is invincible and these stories in the news are just reminders of that. And now that I've gotten that off my chest... I'll step off my soapbox and return to our regularly scheduled programming lol**

 **As promised, here we have our Christmas chapter! :D I barely got this done on time after a pretty hectic week - for me, at least lol - and for awhile I didn't think I was gonna get it done at all but I did so PHEW. Thank you guys so much for your feedback last week after I left you all with that semi-cliffhanger and poor Summer in tears I AM AWFUL AND HORRIBLE, I KNOW, but I did quite enjoy seeing the various reactions which all seemed to involve at least some degree of "NOOOOOOO" in every single one :D here we deal with the fallout of all of that, and I hope you guys will let me know what you think, good or bad :D my thanks to midnightwings96 for being indispensable as always and especially for helping me figure out the most difficult part of any Christmas chapter: THE PRESENTS. LOL. It's tough, man! But I think we pulled it off :D thank you guys so much for reading this story and making my days with your feedback! I appreciate it SO SO much and continue to be blown away by the response to this story. You guys are the best, and I love you! See you all next week :D**

The following morning, Summer decided that she was done crying over hers and Bucky's beautiful date gone wrong. Embarrassment and confusion turned into anger and even more confusion, and she decided to work through her sudden inner fury by spending her morning throwing punches. And Natasha was all too willing to indulge her.

 _So what if he doesn't want to kiss me_ , she thought as she dodged a jab from Nat and tried to aim a kick at her middle, only to have Nat all but dance away. _What do I care_? she asked herself sullenly, focusing all of her energy on trying to land at least one hit on the damn killer ballerina deflecting her every blow like she was completely useless. _So what if I put myself out on a limb with the date and thought we were really connecting and tried to kiss him like any normal girl would only to get shot down and rejected and humiliated_ -

Briefly losing her mind a little bit, frustration and anger got the best of Summer when Natasha dodged another hit, and what she did next took even Summer herself by surprise. She grabbed Natasha's hair in a desperate attempt to gain the upper hand and pulled it hard, taking advantage of her opponent's momentary surprise and employing a move that both Nat and Bucky had taught her, flipping up into the air and using her thighs to take Natasha down to the ground.

As soon as they landed there with a loud thud and a very surprised cry from Natasha, Summer realized what she'd done and immediately released her. "Oh God," she muttered wide-eyed, scrambling away as Natasha slowly sat up, wincing a little. "I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?"

Natasha merely smirked and rubbed at her shoulder where it had slammed into the mat beneath them. "Trust me, I've had a lot worse. I just didn't expect you to fight dirty."

Summer groaned. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Natasha replied, standing up and offering Summer a hand. "Sometimes you have to fight dirty."

After getting back to her feet, Summer sighed and nodded. "I guess so."

Natasha smirked and then grabbed a few bottles of water, tossing one at Summer. "So, the date went _that_ bad?"

Frowning, Summer unscrewed the lid. "I don't wanna talk about it."

"Oh come on," she said, heading over to a small bench and sitting, patting the seat next to her. "I'm dying of curiosity."

Summer took a big gulp of water and trudged over rather unhappily to the bench. After she plopped down, she pushed back a few stray hairs that had escaped her ponytail and said, "Actually... the date was incredible. We had fun, we talked, we made each other laugh... it was the best date I've ever had."

"... Then why am I getting the feeling he's the last person you want to see right now?"

Truth be told, Summer was more comfortable talking about this to Aemilia, but she was still sleeping upstairs and Natasha _had_ become a genuine, if unlikely friend in recent months. "Well," she began quietly, "when we came home I... I was just so _high_ on everything and so happy and... I didn't want the night to end, so... I, uh... well, I tried to kiss him. And..." Cheeks flushing with renewed embarrassment, she forced herself to keep going. "He pulled away at the last minute and then he ran away like I had the plague."

Natasha's confused expression softened and gave way to a much more understanding sort of look. "Ah," she nodded. "Now I get it."

Summer blinked. "You do?"

Natasha nodded. "Summer," she said gently, "he doesn't kiss."

Summer blinked again, then once more for good measure. "... What?"

"No kissing," Natasha repeated. "On the lips, anyway."

Summer opened her mouth but no words came out at first. "I... _seriously_?"

Natasha smiled, amused. "Seriously."

"So you and him... you never..."

Natasha shook her head. "Not once."

Summer's jaw dropped. "... _How_?"

She chuckled. "It was a very specific rule of his, and I respected that. We were never looking for a romantic relationship with each other, anyway. It made it easier to stick to that."

"... My mind is officially blown," Summer admitted, her brain grappling with this new and unexpected information. Trying to make sense of it all, she furrowed her brows and asked, "It because of... Vivian? His first girlfriend?"

Natasha quirked a brow in surprise. "What do you know about her?"

"I didn't know anything until yesterday," Summer replied. "I know that he loved her and she died in a car accident insanely young. That's really it."

Natasha nodded, briefly looking away. "Well, his kissing embargo is a sort of... guilt-ridden tribute to her. I didn't know him back then, but... I do know how devastating it was for him to lose her the way that he did. Not that he's ever opened up to me about it."

Summer furrowed her brows. "Really?"

"I think Lukas is the only one who really knows the full story. And Steve, I'm sure," Natasha shrugged. "But I know that it changed him. And that he has no idea how to be in a normal relationship today."

Releasing a deep breath, Summer's eyes turned cautious and a little sad as she asked, "So... am I completely stupid for even trying, then?"

"I wouldn't say that," Natasha shrugged. "But you're smart enough to know how hard it's gonna be. Relationships are difficult as it is, but one with someone like him... I hope you're prepared for a hell of an experience."

Summer furrowed her brows and looked away, blowing out a breath. "Frick."

Natasha grinned slightly in amusement. "You know, I find it quite funny that the girl who ended up thawing him a little can't even properly curse."

Summer's head swiveled back in Natasha's direction. " _Thawing_ him?"

"Tell me," Natasha said, "how did he react when you tried to kiss him? Give me details."

"Well, he... kind of stared at me and looked... panicked. Then he said he was sorry a few times and ran off."

"You see, when _I_ tried," Natasha replied, "he didn't panic like that. I don't think that he would have reacted that way unless he wanted to kiss you."

"... Panicking and running away equals wanting to kiss me?" Summer replied. "That's..."

"Crazy, yes, but so is the entire situation," Natasha pointed out. "You were forced into a marriage with a Bratva Captain who you had every right to fear and despise, especially considering how he treated you in the beginning. And yet here you both are, having no idea what to do with each other. It's the stuff of angsty romance novels. Not that I read those or anything."

Summer almost smiled at that. "Okay, so... you know him like... extremely well. What should I do now?"

"... Maybe just take a step back," Natasha suggested. "If he's that spooked, he needs time to process what's happening between you two. I'm not saying you should ignore him, but..."

"... Give him space," Summer surmised. "Okay. I can do that."

"Can you?"

Summer gave a harsh laugh and took another drink of water. "After last night? I'm gonna hide from him like I hide from kiosk salesman at the mall."

"I hate those guys," Natasha agreed. "So aggressive. Now let's get back to it."

Summer nodded and took one more drink of water before getting up to her feet and following Natasha back to the mat. Might as well work out the rest of her frustration before the manor's other occupants started to wake up and she had to face all the inevitable questions of how the date had gone.

Meanwhile, upstairs in his room, Bucky was pacing back and forth in front of his closed bedroom door. Having slept terribly all night and giving up trying once the sun had come up, he'd waited as long as he could before he texted Lukas with mild - or maybe not so mild - desperation. It felt like an eternity had passed before there finally came a knock on the door, at which point Bucky immediately grabbed the doorknob and yanked it open.

Lukas stood half asleep on the other side, still wearing pajamas with his black hair askew. "You said there was some sort of emergency?"

Bucky clenched his jaw and grabbed Lukas by the front of his shirt and pulled him inside, slamming the door shut behind him and declaring, "I fucked up."

Lukas, a little thrown by the unexpected manhandling, smoothed down his shirt and stared at Bucky with sudden concern. "Oh dear God. Who did you kill?"

"I didn't kill anyone," Bucky muttered. "It's the date. I'm talking about the date."

Lukas furrowed his brows. "Oh." His gaze suddenly darkened. " _Oh_. That's even worse. What did you _do_?"

"It's what I _didn't_ do," he grumbled. "She tried to kiss me."

Lukas stared blankly for a moment. "And?"

Bucky shot him a half-hearted glare. "And what do you think?"

Lukas rolled his eyes and started walking towards the edge of Bucky's bed. "If this is going where I think it is, I'm going to have to sit."

As Lukas made himself comfortable, Bucky stood in front of him and crossed his arms. "Are you taking this seriously?"

"Yes, yes, I am treating this matter with the utmost of gravity," Lukas assured him. "But I haven't had coffee yet and you can only expect so much from me before 8 AM."

Ignoring him, Bucky's frown deepened and he said, "The whole date was fucking perfect. It was... the whole thing was better than..." He shook his head, staring off into space. "It was perfect and then I fucked it up."

"Because you wouldn't kiss her?" Lukas guessed.

Shoulders slumping as he turned and sat next to his friend, Bucky kept his eyes to the floor as he recounted that horrific moment outside of Summer's room. "We came back home and I walked her to her room. We... she asked me to come in and I wanted to. I would have, I was going to. But then she tried to kiss me and I just..."

"... Panicked and ran?" Lukas guessed.

Bucky let out a long, beleaguered breath. "Yeah."

"Stupendous," Lukas replied dryly.

Bucky gave him a _look_. "Really?"

"Did you run because of your rule," Lukas asked, "or because you wanted to break it?"

Bucky looked away and thought on that question for a long moment. "I don't know."

"I think you do," Lukas replied.

Bucky ran a hand through his long, messy hair and shook his head. "It's been so long, I... I don't even know if I'd be any good at it if I even tried."

"Oh come on," Lukas waved a hand. "It's like riding a bike. You never truly forget how." When Bucky didn't seem convinced, Lukas took it a step further. "Although if you'd like some _practice_ , I can certainly arrange that. Aemilia wouldn't mind, so long as she could watch. And it's not as if we haven't _practiced_ before."

Bucky stared at Lukas as if he was genuinely considering the offer until he suddenly shook himself. " _No_. That's not - _Jesus_ , Lukas. That's _not_ what I need help with."

Lukas chuckled. "Well, you were the one who said you didn't know if you were any good at it anymore. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't offer my help?"

Bucky glared at him half-heartedly. "Just... how do I fix this?"

Lukas' previously humorous expression gave way to something much more serious. "Did she seem hurt?"

Bucky frowned as he recalled the look on Summer's face as he had run for his life. "She looked like she was about to start crying."

Lukas grimaced. "That's not good. Were there any other hiccups or was that it?"

"That was it," Bucky replied, recalling the rest of the night. "Everything else was... good, really good. It was fun."

Lukas pointedly raised a brow. " _You_ had _fun_? Dear God, I would tell you to marry this woman immediately if you weren't already married."

"I like her," Bucky admitted quietly for the very first time, to himself as well as anyone else. "I feel... different with her. I don't know. I can't explain it. And it scares the hell out of me."

"I understand," Lukas replied just as quietly. "I do. But at some point, James, you need to stop punishing yourself over things that will never be undone. And after... has it been 12 years? After _12 years_ of making yourself miserable and being numb as some sort of tribute to her, I know how frightening the mere idea of opening yourself up to a woman is, but... can you honestly tell me that you believe this is what Vivian would want for you?"

Bucky gave a small shrug. "She couldn't love me anymore once she figured out what I was."

"Yes," Lukas acknowledged, "but Summer _can_. Who you are now is the only version of you that she's ever known, and she's still falling in love with you."

Bucky turned to Lukas in disbelief. "Did she say that?"

"It's written on her face," Lukas pointed out.

Bucky shook his head and decided to try poking holes in that particular theory. "She was forced into all of this. Could just be... Stockholm Syndrome, something like that. She'd figure it out sooner or later and leave."

Lukas groaned. "And you know this how? Do you have a crystal ball hidden somewhere? Honestly, I'm starting to think it doesn't matter _what_ I say. You're convinced you're unlovable despite the fact that you're surrounded by people who love you dearly." When Bucky continued to say nothing and simply stared at his hands, Lukas took it a step further. "I know that Vivian crushed you. She broke your heart and made you feel as if nobody could ever possibly love you again, and then she _died_ and was never able to apologize for saying things that we both know she probably didn't mean. And that's... horrific beyond the capacity of any words to express. But you have a second chance at real happiness, James. Those don't come along very often. Trust me, I know."

In the rarely, if ever, calm depths of Bucky's mind, he was jaggedly torn. On the one hand, he desperately wanted to believe Lukas, wanted to believe that he and Summer really might have a chance at something real and something good, and that whatever she thought she felt for him was genuine. But on the other, he was so used to being so cold and empty inside that just the mere idea of all of that seemed laughable. And Summer was so innocent and had already suffered and changed so much since she'd been forced into the mob - nearly being brutally raped by a man in her own home, learning how to mold her body into a weapon, shooting an attacker in the face in self defense, being hunted by the Triad. How could she love a man who was at the center of all of those terrible things?

He didn't think that it could ever end well. Sooner or later she'd come to her senses and run as far away from him as she could. She'd someday again see him as she had when they'd first met - as a monster and a killer, something to be feared and avoided at all costs.

But... if there was just the slightest chance that Bucky was wrong and Lukas was right... maybe it really was worth the risk to take a chance and see what might happen.

Resolve tentative but holding steady, Bucky only had one more question. "What do I do?"

* * *

Later on, as Summer and her stepmother had lunch outside on a bench in the picturesque gardens, Lizzie nearly choked on her turkey sandwich and exclaimed, "Oh my God! Are you kidding me?! I will find him wherever he is and kick him in the balls for making you cry!"

Summer cringed and held up her hand, having anticipated this reaction. "Mom, it's... it's okay. No ball-kicking necessary."

"I'll be the judge of that," Lizzie declared, setting down her sandwich and all but forgetting about it. "So he'll throw you against a wall for some... _hubba hubba_ time but he won't kiss you? What's he think you are, some kind of slut with your phone number plastered all over random bathrooms?"

Summer sighed. "Mom-"

"Listen, I know he's hotter than sin and you've been getting closer but this was a grade A dick move and -"

"I know, I know!" Summer squeaked, forcing herself to get a word in. "It was... it sucked, okay, and _I know_ , but... he's..."

"... If you say damaged or broken I swear to God, I'm gonna scream," Lizzie groaned. "There's no excuse for treating my little girl like that."

Summer paused. "But... he's... damaged and... broken."

Lizzie made a noise roughly like a distressed whale. "Oh my God."

"Look," Summer pressed on. "It's complicated. I just found out today from Natasha that he never kissed her, either."

Lizzie was highly confused. "Does he have some kind of pathological fear of lips?"

"... No," Summer sighed. "Back when he was in college he was in love with this girl, and she died. And ever since then he just... doesn't kiss. I guess he's one of those people who think of kissing as like the most intimate thing a person can do, so... that's why he ran."

Lizzie stared at Summer for a moment before sighing and sagging her shoulders a little bit. "Okay, so... as excuses go, that's not the worst I've ever heard. But I'm still mad at him. And running away like that was _not_ okay."

"I know," Summer agreed quietly.

"I hope you plan on ignoring the hell out of him," Lizzie added, returning to her sandwich. "I wouldn't even be opposed to you being a little bit of bitch to him."

Summer wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "Don't you think that's a little..."

"What?"

"... Immature?" Summer cringed. "And... mean?"

Lizzie side-eyed her. "You're too nice for your own good, you know that?"

Summer smiled and shrugged. "It's my fatal flaw."

"No," Lizzie smiled, "it's one of your best qualities. And you get it from your mother."

Summer paused and her smile grew. "Really?"

Lizzie nodded. "She was the sweetest person I've ever known. And you're just like her. Spitting image, too, you know." They shared a smile and Lizzie finally gave up on her sandwich, throwing an arm around Summer's shoulders instead. "Just don't be _too_ nice, okay? He needs to apologize to you before you go making any new gestures. You've gone out on a limb enough as it is. Think it's his turn to do some of the work."

Summer nodded, laying her head on Lizzie's shoulder. "I'm telling you, though... the rest of the date was just... unbelievable. We held hands after dinner and he even laughed - like _really_ laughed. Look at this picture we took right before the concert started," she said, pulling out her phone and locating said picture.

Lizzie took the phone and admired the photo, shaking her head with a smile. " _My God,_ you two look so good together. See, you guys need to make it work just for the sake of giving me the world's cutest grandbabies. I'll be the proudest - and youngest looking - grandma in the whole damn city."

"You know," Summer chuckled, taking her phone back, "I think we probably at least gotta do some kissing before we can give you grandbabies."

"Well, technically speaking, you don't _have_ to, but... yeah, I agree."

Summer sighed and closed her eyes, suddenly incredibly tired and ready for a nap. "There's something else I need your help with."

"What's that, pumpkin?"

"Christmas is literally in a week," Summer noted. "And I've yet to get anyone a single present."

"... Oh good Lord, Summer," Lizzie sighed. "Come on, I taught you better than that."

"In my defense," Summer giggled, "I've been a little busy lately. But it's one person in particular whose gift I need help with."

"Let me take a wild guess," Lizzie said. "What do you get your hot, rich, terrifying mob boss husband for Christmas when he already has everything?"

"Ding ding ding, we have a winner," Summer joked, and for the next hour, the two women strolled through the gardens debating what she could get Bucky for Christmas. By some miracle, they actually came up with an idea solid enough that Summer was fairly sold on it. All she had to do was run it by Aemilia and make sure she agreed, and then she could scratch the most perplexing person off her gift list.

She headed up to her room after hugging Lizzie and parting ways with her, planning on plugging in her phone to charge and changing her close before heading over to Aemilia's room. She was so firmly set on autopilot that at first, she didn't even notice the massive floral arrangement sitting right in front of her doorway, on a little table she usually dropped her keys on upon returning home from work.

After double-taking and letting her jaw hit the floor, Summer forgot about charging her phone and changing her clothes and instead walked to the giant bouquet of multicolored roses sitting there as if such a thing was a normal fixture in her room. There was a rose of almost every conceivable color in there, and instead of looking garish or tacky, it actually looked rather unique and pretty. Smiling and furrowing her brows in confusion, she plucked what appeared to be a handwritten note from within the bouquet and unfolded it, her heart starting to race as she read the first line.

 _Summer,_

 _I had no idea what kind of roses you like so I got you one of each color the shop had. It's probably hideous. I'm sorry. I'm also sorry for last night. I'm a stupid fucking idiot and I have no idea what I'm doing. I should be apologizing in person but I'm not that great with words and it's even worse with you and I don't know why. But there's no excuse for how I left you last night and it was the last thing you deserved. I'm a colossal fuck-up and you shouldn't waste your time with me. But I'm selfish enough to hope that you still will._

 _You're beautiful and smart and sweet and you deserve a man a lot better than I'll ever be. I'm fucking crazy and stupid for running away like I did because trust me, it was the last thing I wanted to do. I've already imagined last night going about twenty different ways and I wish I'd been man enough to give you what you deserve. I really want to. You're the only woman to make me want to in 12 years. Just writing that down and acknowledging that scares the shit out of me. Please be patient with me. I don't deserve it or your forgiveness but I'm asking anyway because I'm pretty fucking sure you're the first good thing to happen to me in a really fucking long time._

 _I'm sorry._

 _Bucky_

Summer's eyes were so blurry by the time she reached the end that she could barely read his messy signature. She blinked and a tear rolled down her cheek, and she had begun smiling like a moron by just the end of the second sentence. She reread the entire letter two more times before her emotions got the better of her and she tore out of her room, the paper still clutched tightly in her hand and her mind racing with both joy and relief.

She was never going to be able to stay mad at him for long, she already knew it. However brief or long their marriage would prove to be, she wagered that her forgiveness would always be something he'd manage to earn with very little difficulty. The fact that he had sat down and written her that note with an actual pen and paper and apparently wrote from his heart... it was incredibly sweet and hardly something she would have expected from him.

Praying that he was in his room, she rushed there and knocked on his door. She stood there and waited about five seconds and raised her hand to knock again when the door suddenly opened and the man she'd been hoping to see was looking back at her.

She broke into a big smile and launched herself into his arms with no warning. He stood there stiff and awkward for only a moment until his arms rose and wrapped around her, tightening as she smiled just under his ear, "I forgive you."

She felt the tension leave his muscles the minute those words left her lips. He hugged her tightly and she all but sank into his arms, savoring the moment and the closeness while it lasted. She was relieved to no longer cling to that anger she'd harbored against him all morning and even more relieved to feel the sweet embrace of his arms again.

When she pulled away enough to peek up at him, Bucky looked as bewildered and surprised as he was pleased to have earned her forgiveness. She simply smiled wider and touched his cheek, briefly glancing at the lips that he wasn't yet willing to share with her before she told him, "And for the record, I like red roses. I'm classic and predictable like that."

He smiled in response and nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

She giggled quietly and let out a breath, glancing at the letter still clutched in her hand. "Thank you for the letter. It was definitely not what I was expecting, and... it means a lot to me. So... thank you."

He seemed almost... shy and even embarrassed, cheeks flushing a little as he looked at the letter and then back to her. "I wanted to do it in person, but..."

"No, it was perfect this way," she assured him. "I mean it."

He nodded, allowing himself a small, real smile. "Okay."

She smiled back. "So... see you at dinner?"

He nodded. "Yeah, 'course."

"Okay. See you then," she replied cheerfully, leaning up to place a soft, sweet kiss on his still-flushed cheek. They made eye contact when she pulled away and something about it made her stomach flip as she smiled at him and then quietly told him goodbye, stepping back out into the hallway. The spring was back in her step and the grin back on her face, and she couldn't wait to share the letter with Aemilia and freak out over it with her.

Maybe they'd beat the odds after all. He might not be ready to share the kiss with her that she so desperately craved and she might still have a lot more to learn about him, but it was moments like those where she felt as if they had what it took to overcome those obstacles in their way. Somehow, despite how very wrong for each other they'd once seemed to be and how difficult of a road they surely faced ahead, she had newly reinvigorated hope that they just might pull off an upset and maybe, just maybe, fit each other in ways that nobody else ever had.

In the meantime, however, Summer had a date with Aemilia and her new all-time favorite letter.

* * *

The following day, Aemilia visited her doctor and was finally at long last released from bedrest. As her first act of freedom, she and the rest of the family trekked into the forest behind the manor and spent the afternoon chopping down Christmas trees. It was a longstanding tradition in the family and Frieda had delayed it by several weeks so that Aemilia wouldn't be left out. As a result, with only six days left to go until Christmas, every able bodied person within the manor set off on a mad dash to get the entire estate decorated in time for the holidays.

The largest tree was placed in the primary living room, as was tradition, and it was absolutely _enormous_. Everyone pitched in to help decorate it in rich gold and red tones, and Frieda insisted on Summer placing the star on the top as the finishing touch, being the newest member of the family. A plethora of photos were taken and smiles and happy laughter filled the home, and even Bucky couldn't maintain his grumpy facade when Lukas shoved a Santa hat on his head and started singing Christmas carols in his ear.

Aemilia, ecstatic to be up and on her feet again and sporting a very round and adorable little belly, helped Summer decorate a smaller tree that Tony had cut down for her so that she'd have one of her own. The girls made a whole day of it, getting their own personal trees up and injecting festive touches into their respective suites, and Lizzie unearthed hers and Summer's menorahs from the depths of their boxes in storage.

Once everything for the upcoming holidays was in place, then it was time to shop. And that wasn't nearly as easy as it sounded.

Sam was all healed up from his gunshot wound and back in action, so he was assigned back to his post as Summer's primary bodyguard just in time for her to drag him all over Manhattan in search of gifts for everyone on her list. Usually Summer quite enjoyed this part of Christmas, but she'd never had to figure out gifts for a manor full of mostly filthy rich people before. What could she possibly get even half of them that they didn't already have? It was a daunting task, but with a lot of input from Aemilia and Frieda - and Sam, who turned out to be a fantastic shopping buddy - she did her very best.

She and Bucky didn't see a lot of each other in the days leading up to Christmas, but he was never far from her mind. Her gift for him ended up being the single cheapest one on her entire list, but she desperately hoped that he'd like it. Sam, Aemilia, Lukas and Thor all assured her that he would. Time would tell, she supposed.

That year, the first day of Hanukkah fell on Christmas Eve. Summer met her father for lunch that day and exchanged gifts with him a day early, since he wasn't comfortable coming over and spending the holidays with her at the manor. He still seemed rather depressed and _off_ , even more so than the last time she'd seen him, but his and Lizzie's divorce would be final the following month and he was still not coping with that fact very well. She did what she could to try to make him feel better, then hugged him goodbye and went home to the manor to help Lizzie, Pietro and Wanda mark the first day of Hanukkah.

Then, overnight, a mild winter snowstorm rolled in and blanketed the city with a few inches of fresh snow, just in time to give its inhabitants a white Christmas. Summer woke up to the sound of manic pounding on her door at 8 AM, and she had barely cracked her eye open before her door flew open and a certain little came running inside squeaking with excitement.

"Summer, Summer, Summer!" Cassie exclaimed, jumping on the bed and shaking Summer with great gusto. "Wake up, wake up! It's time to open presents! And it _snowed_ outside!"

"I'm up, I'm up!" Summer laughed, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "How'd you get in here?"

"That's my fault," Scott shrugged from the doorway. "Maggie dropped her off last night and I promised her we'd open presents at 8. Cassie decided to take drastic measures to stay on schedule."

"It's okay," Summer said, ruffling the little girl's hair. "Tell you what, why don't you go downstairs and wait by the tree with your daddy, and I'll get everyone else up, okay?"

"Okay!" Cassie agreed, bounding off the bed. "Hurry up!"

Summer laughed and dragged herself out of bed, mouthing _it's okay_ when Scott silently mouthed another apology to her before following Cassie back downstairs. After yawning and stretching, Summer grabbed her Santa hat - a black sparkly one - and stuck it on her head before taking on her new task of waking everyone up.

After banging on everyone's door one by one and telling them to get the frick up and get downstairs, Summer headed down herself to get some coffee started before all the chaos began. Cassie was already finding her own gifts under the tree and shaking them like crazy, trying to figure out what was what, and Scott was sitting on the floor next to her and falling asleep with his head propped up on his hand.

Summer _just_ managed to get her coffee fixed by the time everyone began streaming downstairs one by one. First came Aemilia and Lukas, then Natasha, Thor and Sam, and everyone else soon followed - except for one.

Once everyone was gathered around the tree, ready to finally unleash the sole child in their midst upon her presents, Lukas - wearing Christmas-themed silk pajamas that adorably matched Aemilia's - asked curiously, "Where's Bucky?"

"He's not here?" Frieda asked, looking around to confirm his absence. "Is he awake?"

"He should be," Summer replied. "He usually doesn't sleep this late anyway."

"I will go check on him," Thor announced, but as it turned out, he didn't need to. With the sound of a rather violent sneeze declaring his arrival, Bucky suddenly appeared in the doorway of the living room looking like death warmed over.

He was pale and moving decidedly slowly, wearing uncharacteristic pajamas and a robe and his expression both murderous and miserable all at once. "I'm here," he muttered before his steps ground to a halt and he sneezed three more times into his arm.

"Oh dear God," Lukas said, aghast. "Are you _sick_?"

Sniffing harshly, Bucky snapped back, "No, I'm the fucking picture of perfect fucking health." Scott slapped his hands over Cassie's ears and Bucky noticed and muttered, "Sorry."

"Oh no," Aemilia frowned, sad to see the usually very healthy Bucky felled by a sudden and apparently rather nasty cold. "You can go back to bed, if you'd like. You don't have to suffer down here for our sake. We can bring you your gifts later."

"Yes," Lukas readily agreed, "please take your contaminated self back to bed and keep your germs to yourself."

Bucky glared at Lukas and prepared to send another curse his way, but then he glanced at Cassie and bit his tongue. He also let his eyes flicker to Summer and for a moment he looked as if he wanted to say something, but then he seemed to think better of it and ended up sneezing five more times before he made it back to the stairs, making a noise of pure misery on the way there.

"Poor dear," Frieda said after he'd left. "Sick on Christmas Day. Summer," she said gently, "when he's sick he tends to lie in bed and be utterly helpless, so can you check on him periodically and make sure he takes some medicine and eats?"

"Sure," Summer nodded without hesitation, finding the whole idea of big, tough _Murder Daddy_ Bucky suddenly being rendered useless and pathetic due to a cold kind of adorable. Not that she blamed him - colds were horrendous, and they didn't discriminate when it came to who they tormented.

Unfortunately short one of the family's most important members, Frieda gave the signal to Cassie to finally start attacking her presents and officially kick off Christmas. She had a gift from just about every resident of the manor, so she had quite the haul to tackle, and she did so with great and adorable enthusiasm. She tore all the wrapping paper on each gift to shreds, and by the time that she got to Summer's gift - a deluxe Barbie dream house, the most expensive thing that Summer had gotten for anyone - she was nearly ready to fly through the ceiling with sheer excitement. She clobbered Summer with a massive hug and Aemilia snapped pictures, and Summer laughed and hugged the little girl back, trying to ignore how much Cassie brought out her usually well-hidden inner desires for a family of her own.

 _Not today, stupid biological clock_.

With Cassie in a gift-coma, the adults started digging into their presents and Summer started getting nervous that everyone would hate what she had gotten them. They didn't, of course - Aemilia was quite excited to receive a full day's trip to a ritzy spa for two, which she of course insisted Summer would accompany her to, and Lukas quite liked the fancy black and gold scarf that Summer had picked out for him. The man had quite the thing for scarves, and it had been literally the only thing she could think to get him.

Of course, their mutual gift to her blew hers out of the water, in her humble opinion. They gifted her the single most gorgeous and impressively deluxe complete set of the Harry Potter book series, complete with extra works such as _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ and the _Cursed Child_. That alone would have been enough to give her a massive fangasm, but the set also happened to be autographed by JK Rowling and _personally addressed_ to Summer.

"... You know _her_ too?!" Summer all but screamed, holding the set in her lap like it was the Holy Grail.

"Not exactly, but I know someone who knows her," Lukas winked. "I might have pulled a string or two."

Absolutely nobody present was surprised when Summer then all but tackled Lukas in a hug. He laughed and hugged her back, and then she hugged Aemilia next much more gently, only because of the little baby in her belly, and she actually began crying after. She couldn't help it - she just couldn't believe that she had friends as incredible as them and that they were able to give her such amazing gifts as if it was nothing.

Lizzie's gift to Summer was a ruby and diamond necklace and earring set, one that was beautiful enough to make Summer nearly drop it and gasp like a bad soap opera character. The gift was also from Tony, who'd shelled out most of the big bucks for it, and just like that Summer was crying again. She tearfully hugged them both and apologized in advance for what she considered her wholly lackluster gifts to them - for Lizzie, a pretty little cocktail dress that she'd undoubtedly kill in, and for Tony, a pair of men's designer sunglasses that she'd caught on sale in a rare turn of luck. They'd loved both gifts, of course, but _damn_. Next year, Summer resolved, she'd up her gift game a _lot_.

As for the others, their gifts proved to run the gamut from outrageous to hilarious to disgustingly extravagant. Aemilia got Frieda a pair of stunning golden designer heels that weren't even available to the general public yet, and she also threw in a hefty gift card to what she knew was Frieda's favorite lingerie shop. "That's Pietro's gift," Aemilia explained with a cute little wink while Frieda laughed and Lukas glared at his wife as if she was nothing short of Benedict Arnold. Pietro, however, was rather thrilled.

And when Summer found the exact same gift card in her stocking later, she gaped at Aemilia and nearly had a mental breakdown as she struggled to accept the amount of money that Aemilia alone had spent on her.

"Darling," Aemilia told her with a chuckle, "we're wealthy but we're frugal. I don't care how many zeros are on my bank statement - I'll always be smart and cautious with every dollar I spend. But my family and friends are exempt from that rule. I love spoiling people and I don't think you've ever been spoiled before, so... I wanted to make sure that you got everything you wanted and more."

That was all Summer needed to start crying for the third time. She blamed Christmas and Hanukkah and the general sappy, emotional nature of the winter holidays, plus the incredible generosity and sweetness of her best friend.

Once all the presents were opened and everybody was basking in glow of their new goodies, Summer's mind drifted back to her poor sick husband and she headed to the kitchens. She grabbed a bottle of water and a few bland, non-acidic food items he might want for breakfast, and then she headed up to his room. She grabbed a bottle of cold medicine from her own bathroom on the way there, but after knocking on his door and getting no answer, she peeked inside to find him passed out and dead to the world in bed. She quietly placed all of the items she'd grabbed on the table next to his bed, pulled a thin blanket over him, and then stepped out without waking him.

The rest of the day flew by in a happy, pleasantly busy flash. An outrageous amount of pictures were taken and Pietro started mixing up special holiday cocktails for everyone over what Frieda deemed as Christmas brunch. It was a little early to start drinking but she could hardly refuse him when he offered her a drink that he claimed she had inspired. He called it "Christmas in July" and she giggled and blushed before sipping it and finding it absolutely delicious. It was the color of a sunset and the flavor was bright and just the right amount of sweet without being too sweet, plus it had enough of a kick that she started feeling it only a few gulps in.

"Oh man, that's amazing," Summer told him honestly, eyes wide and throat pleasantly warm. "You're _way_ too good at your job."

Lukas sauntered over as Pietro grinned proudly over his work. "And what sort of concoction is this creature subjecting you to now?"

Summer smiled and handed the drink over to Lukas to try. "It's called Christmas in July and apparently _I_ was the inspiration for it. Try it."

Lukas raised a brow and eyed Pietro warily, but he took a drink all the same. When he inevitably found the drink to be just as delicious as Summer had, he grinned and handed it back to her and mused, "Ah, so _that's_ what you taste like."

Summer opened her mouth to reply but ended up merely blushing and staring speechless instead. As Lukas chuckled at her floundering, Aemilia came up behind him and asked, "What does she taste like?"

"... Like Christmas in July," Lukas chuckled while Summer buried her face in her hands and groaned. "She's sweet with a kick."

"Ah, exactly how I imagined," Aemilia grinned. Summer peeked up with wide eyes and Aemilia giggled before patting her lovingly on the back and then admiring all of the cocktails she was surrounded by but couldn't drink.

Cocktails and not so subtle innuendos aside, Summer had a great time. But she didn't forget Bucky languishing upstairs, and once the festivities had wound down and the afternoon had arrived, she placed all of her new gifts in her room and then recruited Lizzie to follow her into the kitchens and help her start a nice big pot of homemade chicken noodle soup. It was Lizzie's old family recipe and while Summer was confident in her ability to cook it, she wanted to make absolutely sure that it turned out perfectly. She couldn't and _wouldn't_ serve subpar soup to her ailing husband.

The soup turned out beautifully, of course, and it was finished just in time for dinner. Summer assembled a tray for Bucky and loaded the soup and a new cold bottle of water on to it, along with his gift from her that he had yet to receive. Lizzie wished her luck and Summer gave her the thumbs up, then headed up the stairs.

When she reached his door, she balanced the tray on one arm and reached out with her free hand to knock only to pause when she heard the sound of violent sneezing on the other side of the door. She smiled to herself and felt great sympathy as he sneezed multiple times in rapid succession, stopping only to growl an angry and exasperated _motherfucker_ before sneezing again... and again. And again.

Bracing herself to enter the den of infectious disease that his bedroom undoubtedly was, Summer knocked on the door and received a bleary _come in_ in response. She opened the door and carefully stepped inside, kicking the door shut with her foot and strolling into his bedroom. What she found there made her stop and smile.

He was sitting up in bed, his hair absolutely destroyed around his head and tangled at the ends, and he was still in his robe and pajamas and also burrowed under his covers. His nose was red and irritated and he was surrounded by heaps of used tissues, and while he looked absolutely miserable and angry and sick as a dog, he made it look more adorable than Summer could have ever thought possible.

"Hey," she smiled, coming inside his room and walking towards the bed as he eyed the tray in her hands with little enthusiasm. "Still feel like death?"

He nodded as she set the tray down in front of him. "Hurts to talk."

"Yeah, figured you'd have a pretty bad sore throat," she nodded. She glanced at his table and noted that he hadn't taken any of the cold medicine yet, so she picked it up and started opening it as she said, "I made you some soup. It's my mom's recipe. Well, her grandma's, actually. It's got all kinds of herbs and stuff in there that's supposed to help you get better faster. I don't know if it's the placebo effect, but it always makes me feel better when I'm sick."

"Thank you," he croaked out, grimacing at the pain speaking caused him. "You didn't have to do that."

"Yes I did," she smiled, handing him a dose of the medicine. "It's Christmas and my husband's sick. What else am I gonna do?"

He looked at her in quiet surprise, and she simply shrugged lightly and wiggled the medicine cup. His eyes dropped down to the offensively blue liquid and he frowned, taking the cup from her hand and knocking it back like he would a shot of whiskey. He then scrunched his face up and gagged a little, and it was official - he was the cutest thing Summer had ever seen.

"Now that that's out of the way," she said, setting the dosing cup aside and reaching for the lid to the soup bowl and pulling it off, "try to eat. I know you probably don't have much of an appetite but you'll feel better if you get this down."

He nodded and picked up his spoon like it was some kind of weapon, staring at the soup and trying to muster up a desire to eat. But once he took a full breath and took in the aroma of the soup, he paused and then his stomach audibly growled. Summer heard it and smiled as she took a seat on the edge of the bed, just on the other side of the tray.

As he dipped the spoon and scooped up his first bite, Summer told him, "We missed you downstairs."

Taking his first taste of the soup, he seemed not to find any fault with it as he swallowed and looked her way. "Did you?"

Her immediate light blush was beyond her ability to control. "Mhm."

He wolfed down three more spoonfuls of soup before noting, "You shouldn't be in here. You're gonna catch this shit."

Summer shrugged. "Well, I can't go until you open your present."

He glanced at the little gift on the tray. Then he swallowed and looked across his room, where a pile of presents sat waiting to be given to their recipients. "You need to open yours first," he decided, and then despite her immediate protests, he got up himself and went to grab her gift for her.

Suddenly wondering what in the world he had gotten for her and hoping that it wouldn't dwarf her own gift too terribly in comparison, Summer watched him amble back over with a rectangle box in his hands. He gave it to her and then slipped back into bed, waiting for her to open it before he attacked the soup again.

She put the box on her lap and looked down upon it, smiling and admiring the clearly professional gift wrapping job upon it before carefully untying the big red bow binding it together. With that undone, she glanced at him and started tearing the paper, noting that he himself looked a little nervous. She bit her lip and dug in further, getting all the paper off and lifting up the box's lid and setting it aside.

Inside she found a delicate mass of tissue paper that she began carefully pulling apart, unsure of what she'd find beneath it all. Then she caught a glimpse of red and brilliant sparkle, and to her shock, she was suddenly staring at the very dress that she had admired in that shop window during their date.

Her mouth fell open as she delicately lifted up the backless, beautiful, _expensive_ dress by its straps, hardly able to believe what she was seeing. "You... you got _the dress_."

He watched her face intently, caring only about her reaction and little else. Her eyes flew to his in disbelief, and when her gaping mouth finally stretched into a silly, happy smile, his worries dissolved and he knew that he'd done well.

"Oh my God," she said, turning back to the dress and carefully running her hand over the breathtaking embellishments that elevated it from a pretty dress to something else entirely. "These really are real diamonds, aren't they?"

He nodded, eyes still intent on hers. "Yeah. Real diamonds, real silk. Real everything."

She shook her head and met his gaze again. "How much _was_ this?"

"I'll never tell," he smirked, and he managed to look sly for exactly one half of a second before his nose wrinkled and he fell victim to another sneezing fit. He cursed and grabbed an oversized handful of tissues as he nearly sneezed out a portion of his brain, and Summer was fairly sure that her heart swelled to dangerous levels in that moment.

Once his sneezing fit was over, Summer shook her head and said, "I don't know what to say. This is... it's too much. And it's perfect and... _wow_. I can't believe you got it."

"I got your measurements from Aemilia," Bucky told her. "Got the shop to put a rush on the order. Picked it up yesterday and just... hoped for the best." He paused. "Probably where I got this fucking cold."

"It's amazing," she continued to gush, just hoping that she'd be able to pull the dress off and do it justice. And if she wore it in front of Bucky, her tattoo wouldn't be her secret anymore.

... _One thing at a time._

"Um," she breathed, shaking her head a little bit and gesturing to his little present, "you can open yours if you want. It's... I had a really hard time figuring out what to get you, and... I mean, it's gonna look like crap now compared to this and I only spent like fifteen bucks, but... yeah."

He sniffed loudly and assured her as he reached for the gift, "I'm sure it's good, whatever it is."

"I hope so," Summer sighed, her stomach tying up in knots as he began to open the gift.

Once he pulled the paper off and let it fall to the floor, he found himself looking at the back of a picture frame. He flipped it over and Summer watched as his expression shifted from curiosity to surprise to... affection?

 _Yeah_ , she thought, _that was definitely affection_.

He stared at the framed photo - the one that Summer had taken of them during their date just before the concert, the two of them close and smiling and appearing to all the world like a genuinely happy couple - and he gazed at it with a slowly growing smile before he seemed to realize that he wasn't alone and she was waiting for a reaction. He looked up at her and then back down to the photo and back and forth again before he found his voice again. "Thank you. This..." He paused and swallowed, staring at the photo again. "This means a lot to me."

"It does?" she asked with a little smile, as if she was automatically expecting him to hate it for some reason or another. But he didn't, and when he nodded to her, her smile widened and relief washed over her. "Oh, thank God."

He might have chuckled in response to that, but he sneezed instead and wasn't able to stop for awhile. Summer handed him a new box of tissues and he took it gratefully, cursing quite colorfully as he wiped at his poor sore nose and sniffled pathetically. Then he groaned and said, "You _really_ shouldn't be in here. I'm gonna get you sick."

Fairly sure that ship had already sailed, Summer nodded and put the lid to her box back on. "Okay. I'll go. Just um... text me if you need anything. Like more food or something to drink, medicine, anything like that. Try to eat as much of that soup as you can and take another dose of that medicine before bed."

"Yes, doctor," he teased, giving her as amused a look as he could manage in his current miserable state. She smiled and he set their framed picture on his bedside table, angling it so that he could see it from where he sat, and it didn't go unnoticed by Summer. Neither did the way that he looked at it again and let his gaze linger, as if he was seeing something in that picture that he'd never seen before.

Maybe he was.

"Well... thank you again for getting me the literal dress of my dreams," Summer said, getting to her feet and lingering just in front of the bed. Then something suddenly struck her, and she furrowed her brows and asked, "Did you and my mom... coordinate, because her and Tony got me this jewelry that I just realized matches this dress perfectly and..."

Bucky nodded. "Yeah. There was some... conspiring."

Summer smiled and felt the warmth in her heart spread all the way to her fingertips. Somehow, knowing that Bucky had included her mother in his last minute gift-giving plan just made everything all the more perfect, and it made her fall in love with him a little bit more. "... I'd hug you so hard right now but since you're all... diseased..."

He nodded and shook his head at the same time. "Let's save that for when I'm better."

"Okay," she smiled, taking a few steps back. "I'll text you and check on you later. Just, um... try to get better. And thank you again. I don't know if I'll ever stop thanking you."

He smiled back. "I'm glad you like it."

"I love it," she replied sincerely. "Kinda terrified to ever wear it in public, but..."

He paused, looking her over briefly and then raising his eyes back to hers. "I hope I'm there when you do."

She had no idea how to calmly reply to that, and luckily she didn't have to. He sneezed again and then all but shouted _motherfucking piece of shit fucking fuck_ , and she barely contained a giggle as she made for the door.

"I'll see you later," she told him, reaching for the doorknob and looking back his way. "Remember - food, medicine, and then sleep."

He nodded and then sneezed again into another handful of tissues. Voice all wonky from the wonderful effects of massive sinus congestion, he replied, "Right. And thanks for the soup. It's good." He paused. "I _think_. I can't taste or smell anything anymore."

"Well, that's good then," she chuckled. "If it's not your cup of tea, you won't even know it."

"Yeah," he grumbled. "Fucking great."

She smiled affectionately and opened the door. "I know it sucks being stuck in bed today, but... Merry Christmas anyway."

He nodded and mustered up a small but genuine smile. "Merry Christmas. And thank you. For everything."

She nodded, smiling so much that her cheeks were starting to ache. Then, with her heart full and her hands carrying a dress that had probably cost Bucky more than a new luxury car would have, she slipped out of his room and closed the door behind her. She leaned back against it for a moment and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and wondering if her heart really was going to explode like it felt like it might.

He just might prove to be the death of her, one way or another. But at the very least, she could take solace in the fact that the feeling seemed to be on its way to being at least a little bit mutual, if the way that he gazed at their photo was any indication.

Maybe - just _maybe_ \- she was crawling under his skin just as much as he was under hers. Maybe they were on their way to something spectacular and beautiful... or something disastrous and ultimately doomed. But whatever path they were on and wherever it would eventually go, there was no turning back now.

Maybe it was time for her to start enjoying the ride.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: hey everyone! Quick but important note today: so, after this chapter, it may be a few weeks before I manage to update again. Everything's fine as far as RL but as of his week I'm helping out some family with some day to day stuff and as a result, my writing time is currently DRASTICALLY lower than it has been since I started this story. But! It's not a hiatus or anything and I'm definitely gonna be writing every chance I get. It's just gonna be a bit less frequent now and I'm not sure I'll be able to stick to the current schedule, and I want to make sure I warn you guys because you've all been AMAZING and some of you even start leaving reviews on Wednesdays about how excited you are for Thursdays :D I love that and I'm sorry to disappoint with this news, but I'm really gonna do my best to write during every free minute I get and hopefully things will get back to normal soon. I'll keep you all updated either way, and I thank you all SO MUCH for your continued loyalty and support and feedback. You're all incredible! And so is midnightwings96 who as always provided indispensable help with this chapter and EVERY chapter, and whom I would be utterly lost without :) also my thanks to MorningGlory2, who is absolutely AMAZING and whose wonderful conversations have led to quite a few awesome ideas coming to light, including one that I used for this chapter :D Also! She has a Christmas themed Buckynat oneshot up called _Second Chances_ and it's so SO good and sweet and GAH, so if Buckynat is your thing, head on over and give it a read and you will NOT regret it :D my love and thanks to each and every one of you reading this! I might not see you guys next Thursday but I will do my very best to have the next update soon! :D **

Unfortunately, despite everyone's best sanitation attempts and Bucky's self-imposed quarantine, he managed to infect literally the entire manor with his cold. Summer, unsurprisingly, came down with it first, undoubtedly a result of her taking care of him and breathing his germ-infested air. She then inadvertently gave it to everyone else including Lukas and Aemilia, the former of whom laid himself up in bed for two full days and acted like the world's biggest and most helpless baby as the virus ran its course. Aemilia found her husband's inability to handle a mere cold both incredibly endearing and wholly exasperating, but mostly endearing.

The manor's residents sneezed and coughed their way into the new year, which put a definite damper on the festivities. Rather than share a kiss as the ball dropped - not that she had anyone to share a kiss _with_ anyway - Summer chugged NyQuil and cuddled with a box of Kleenex as she officially kicked off a new year of her life.

But the cold from hell only lasted about a week, and once everyone was better, it was back to business as usual. Bucky went back to being gone most of the time, he and Natasha and Thor teaming up with SHIELD for another round of raids that weren't as successful as they would have liked. Summer was never fully in the loop on what exactly happened during those raids, but she could always get the gist of what happened by observing Bucky's expression upon his returns. If he looked like the human version of Grumpy Cat, it didn't go well. If he looked like the human version of Grumpy Cat but made eye contact and greeted her in some form or another, then it went relatively well.

In the mornings before she headed to work, she trained with either Bucky or Natasha, whomever was up and available. She came to both dread and greatly anticipate her mornings spent sparring with Bucky, both hating and loving them and the tension that grew between them with every new moment spent together. Being alone in that training room with him and engaging in so much physical contact, sweating and grunting and being pinned to the ground by him at least twice every time - it was pure torture. The sounds that he made as they fought were so purely sexual that she honestly couldn't handle it, but somehow she made it through without losing her mind or jumping him, both of which were distinct possibilities.

Tuesdays were her weekdays off from training. She had to go into the office an hour earlier on those days due to weekly meetings, so those along with Saturday mornings were the only days that Bucky allowed her to skip training. On the second Tuesday of the new year, Summer was up and ready for work as she made her way to the manor's kitchens for her usual giant cup of coffee to start the day. She was in a comfortable but pretty dress, dark blue and knee-length and loose enough to not feel constricting, cinched at the waist with a thin belt and buttoned at the top like a blouse. White heels finished off the look, and she strolled down the halls without a second thought only to pause just before she turned a corner, hearing unfamiliar voices talking amongst themselves not far from the training room.

Standing silently around the corner, Summer stayed out of sight and listened carefully, immediately wary upon not recognizing the voices or whom they belonged to.

"... Yeah well, that ain't what I heard," one man with a distinct Brooklyn accent said. "Heard this guy's not even Russian."

"He's gotta be Russian," another voice said. "It's the Bratva."

"Nah, see, he was adopted in," the first man replied. "My family goes way back with these people. My old man knew Alexander Pierce when he was running the show. Always said he was bleeding heart liberal, promoting women and shit. This guy's probably the same since Pierce gave him the job."

"Shit," a third voice muttered. "Thought the Bratva was supposed to be old school."

"They are in Russia," the first guy replied. "My dad lost all respect for the American side when they didn't give Rumlow the Captain job."

Summer's blood ran cold just at the mention of Rumlow's name.

"Then why are you here?" the second voice asked.

The man scoffed. "'Cause I want in. And unfortunately this is my only way in. Who knows," he laughed, "maybe I'll show everyone how much of a pussy this Barnes guy is and I'll be the big boss in a few years."

Summer furrowed her brows, unable to believe what she was hearing. These were clearly new recruits, and they were talking about their Captain like this in his own house?

"I don't know, man," the second man replied. "He's got a pretty badass reputation."

"Oh please," the first idiot laughed. "He's got a _woman_ as his right hand, and a _tiny_ one at that. And I heard he don't even run the full show like Pierce did - he splits the job with that Lukas fella, who splits the CEO job with _his wife_. And she's a hot little thing but makin' her CEO? _Please_."

"Lukas," a previously unheard voice repeated. "One of the Orlov sons?"

"That's right. The _skinny_ one," the first man said. "Heard he's half fairy, too. It's like an open secret or something. Really disgraceful, man. See, that's why I'm here. Bratva needs more real men around. Maybe then we'd get the respect we used to."

At that point, Summer couldn't take it anymore. Blood boiling upon hearing not only her husband but Lukas and Natasha belittled by some idiot who thought he was entitled to a high ranking place within the Bratva, she stepped out from around the corner and resumed her walk down the hall, the four men finally coming into view. Each head turned her way the minute she appeared.

They had no way of knowing who she was, of course. As a result, she wasn't surprised in the least when the biggest, tallest one - probably the idiot who'd been mouthing off - leered at her with a smile that made her skin crawl as she walked by.

"Mornin', ma'am," he nodded, his voice confirming his identity as the idiot.

Summer paused just in front of the men, nodding back. "I take it you're the new recruits?"

"Yes, ma'am," he grinned proudly. "And you are?"

She smiled overly pleasantly. "I'm the Captain's wife." She found a rather significant sense of satisfaction in the way that the men's faces all fell in varying degrees as a result. "And I don't think he'd appreciate his new recruits disrespecting him in his own house."

Big Tall Idiot went a little pale. "Well... I was just... I didn't mean any disrespect, ma'am, I just -"

"Just what?" she interrupted. "You called him and his best friend some pretty insulting things, and you're not even in the Bratva yet."

The man floundered for a moment, seemingly panicking a bit before he seemed to realize he'd already stepped in it and there was no going back now. "Well, I don't gotta explain myself to you."

"No," she agreed, "but you do have to explain yourself to him, and he won't be very happy when I tell him what you said."

"Yeah?" he questioned, taking a few steps closer to her. "Well then why don't we come to some kind of understanding, then?"

The guy was clearly trying to intimidate her, and just a matter of months ago, it probably would have worked. But that was before she survived Rumlow's attack and stared down the Triad twice and took a life herself not once but two times. She wasn't the same easily frightened girl that she used to be, and this guy was clearly only a threat to himself due to his raging case of stupidity.

"Like what?" she asked, playing along.

"Well, for starters, how about you just keep what you heard to yourself, and you and me can be friends?"

She smiled - she couldn't help it. _Friends_? Really? What was this dude even smoking? "What kind of friends?"

"Well, I'll leave that up to you, beautiful," he said before extending his hand to her. "Deal?"

She looked down at his hand and wondered what the hell this guy was even doing. Did he have a death wish? Regardless of his motivations, she decided very quickly on how she was going to handle him. Without a word, she bypassed his hand and grasped his forearm instead in a fierce grip that he surely didn't think a woman like her was even capable of. Then she yanked him forward and kicked him in the groin before swiftly twirling him around and twisting his arm behind his back as he fell to his knees wailing like a little girl. She shoved his arm up as high as it could go without breaking, and only once she was satisfied in the agony she'd caused him did she let him go. The minute she did, he toppled to the floor like a ragdoll.

"You'll never be half the man my husband is," she told him as he gasped in pain, straightening out her dress and pulling her hair back over her shoulders. The three other recruits stared at her in awe, undoubtedly making mental notes to never cross the Captain's wife.

Then, as Summer stood recovering from the brief adrenaline rush, feeling rather proud of herself and her work, a voice cut through the air and made her freeze where she stood.

"Summer," Bucky said from the now-open doorway of the training room, "can I talk to you for a minute?"

She turned around and stared at him in mild shock. She had no idea how long he'd been standing there or what he had seen and heard, but he was shirtless and his hair was down and he looked almost... kind of... angry.

 _Oh boy_. What had she just gotten herself into?

Nodding and silently walking his way, Bucky held the door open for her and then glanced at the the other three recruits. "You guys want a second chance, you can start by taking out the trash."

They nodded and quickly got to work gathering up the man laying on the floor, still groaning in anguish. As they dragged him off, Summer stepped inside of the training room and Bucky shut the door behind her. _And locked it_.

Her heart racing and a lump suddenly in her throat, Summer gulped silently and stayed right in front of the door as Bucky looked her over, standing close but not too close to her.

"You know," he said lowly, quietly, "breaking in the new recruits is my job."

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I... I know. I'm sorry. I just... I heard them saying awful things about you and Lukas and I... I couldn't just walk by and say nothing."

"You know I don't need you to defend me," Bucky told her, still in that confusingly low, sensual tone of voice that was making her skin prickle with goosebumps.

"I know," she nodded, unsure if she should be afraid or aroused or the weird mixture of both that she currently was. "But I wanted to."

"Why?" He asked, taking a step closer to her. She felt as if all the air had gone from the room.

He placed a hand on the door next to her head, and suddenly they were a _lot_ closer. His scent and his heat nearly overwhelming her, she tried to find an answer but couldn't. "Because I... because..."

Ignoring her failed attempts at speaking, his free hand reached up to tip her chin up so that she'd look him in the eye. "I saw everything. I heard what you said, and I saw what you did. I saw you take that idiot down."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, feeling a little drunk at his proximity. She was trapped between him and the door - with them there was always a door involved, it seemed, _always_ \- and she still wasn't sure if he was mad or about to rip her clothes off and ravish her.

"Don't be," he murmured, the hand beneath her chin drifting down to touch the top button of her dress. He watched himself unbutton it and then raised his eyes back to hers. "I'm proud of you."

 _Good God_. Her entire body suddenly enveloped in a deep blush, she exhaled shakily and searched his eyes as if she was afraid that he didn't mean it. "You are?"

He nodded, plucking open another button. "And it was... _fucking hot_."

Oh. _Oh_. She felt a rush of cool air on her chest and glanced down to find that he'd unraveled her dress enough to expose her chest and her black lace-trimmed bra. She looked up and watched his eyes trail over her impressive cleavage, followed by his fingertips as he leaned in and pressed a kiss under her ear that sent a shiver racing down her spine.

... _Holy crap this was happening again_. Her hands scrambling to his bare shoulders as he kissed down her neck, she mindlessly babbled, "I'm... I'm gonna be late for work..."

He chuckled darkly against her throat, kissing towards her collarbone. "I'm friends with the boss. She'll understand. Besides," he licked over a spot at the base of her throat that made her legs nearly give out before his eyes flashed up to hers. "Do you really want me to stop?"

She shook her head furiously, but her next words flew out of her mouth before she could stop them. "But are you sure? I don't want us to do anything too fast or... if you feel pressured or... I just... uh..."

"Summer," he murmured, leaving no room for even the smallest of doubts, "I know exactly what I'm doing and I know what I want. And I want you right _fucking_ now before I lose my _fucking_ mind."

Eyes wide and cheeks bright pink, she stuttered, "O-oh. _Yeah_. Yeah, okay. I... _yeah_. ...Carry on?"

Last minute doubts out of the way, Bucky's lips curled briefly into a little smirk before he dropped them down to her chest, kissing a hot trail to the swell of one breast as he gave the other a gentle squeeze through her bra. Her body was on fire already, her knees weak and head spinning from his words and his actions as his lips drifted between her breasts kissed _down, down, down_ until his mouth met the fabric of her dress. Then he looked up at her and stared like he was going to eat her alive as he sunk down to his knees in front of her.

She might just die if this was going where she suddenly thought it was.

The first thing that he did was look down at her heels and admire the way that they made her legs look. His hands brushed over her ankles and then slid up and over her legs, behind her knees and then along her thighs, raising her dress up with his hands. When he lifted it high enough to reveal her thigh holster on her right leg and the lightweight handgun secured within it, he was _sure_ that he could feel himself harden to nearly impossible levels. Summer saw the heat in his eyes and knew exactly what that holster was doing to him. Knowing the effect that she was having on him made her feel a sense of power that she'd never felt before, and it was intoxicating... and _addicting_.

He dropped hot kisses on her heated skin with every new inch that he exposed, though he pointedly avoided one particular area as he lifted the dress above her belly button. His eyes lifted back to hers as he pressed his lips beneath her navel, making her utterly tremble with need. Both of her hands were tangled in his hair until he took one of them and gently pulled it free, pointedly placing it over the bunched up skirt of her dress. She got the point and held it up for him so that he could give his full attention to... _other_ things.

His kisses trailed downwards until they reached the waistband of her little black panties. Then he was pulling the fabric down her hips with both hands, and she could hardly stand it. She felt incredibly exposed but even more turned on, and when she looked down and saw the way that he was gazing at her bare flesh, heat and desire and darkness in his eyes, she thought she could have fallen apart right then without a touch. Instead, as he began trailing kisses up her thighs and she reveled in the softness of his lips and the roughness of the scruff on his face, she moaned softly.

His eyes flickered back to hers when he heard the sound. Then she watched his hand slide to the front of his pants and rub himself through them, just a few times to keep himself under control and give him a little relief. That particular sight sent her already overwhelmed senses into overdrive, and when he leaned in and pressed a deceptively chaste kiss right to her center, her legs nearly failed her. His hands gripped her thighs and steadied her as he snuck her one last glance before parting his lips and ending the teasing, slowly starts to devour her just like they both wanted.

Right from the start, she was _gone_. Forgetting entirely about the world outside and the possibility that someone might hear her, she whined and moaned and even thrashed against the door a little when he did something with his tongue that singlehandedly eclipsed all of her previous experiences with that particular act. He was so, _so good_ and so passionate, moaning himself sometimes and seeming to relish being on his knees and worshipping her with his mouth. There was nothing half-hearted about any of it, nothing but skill and passion and his sinful mouth doing things to her that that not even her wildest dreams could have fathomed.

The first time she came, it took her by surprise how quickly and powerfully it overcame her. He eased her through it and rode it out with her, and then when she thought it was over, he pressed two fingers gently inside of her and then began all over again. She almost begged him to stop for how sensitive she was, but that only lasted a few seconds before she was in heaven again and potentially waking up the entire building with the sounds flying out of her mouth. The second time she fell apart, it was slower coming on and lasted even longer, and just when she thought she was truly finished, he coaxed a third orgasm from her body and left her completely boneless and absolutely wrecked.

... She'd never experienced _anything_ like that before. She didn't even know that she _could_ fall apart that many times in such a small number of moments, but he seemed to know just how to manipulate her to prove that notion very wrong. His strong arms supported her and kept her standing as he slowly kissed his way up her belly again, rising back up to his feet and peppering little kisses along her still-clothed breasts as she let her skirt fall back to her legs and she tried to catch her breath. When she opened her eyes and met his own, she smiled dreamily and he smirked back.

"Good?" he asked teasingly, kissing along her jaw. She could feel unmistakable hardness pressing against her thigh, and it sent another shiver down her spine.

"... I didn't know I even could... that many times in a row. I just... _wow_ ," she whispered with a silly smile as he looked rather proud of himself.

"I've been wanting to do that for a _long_ time," he admitted, pushing slightly damp strands of hair behind her ear.

"Really?" she half-whispered, blinking and trailing her hand down his chest, across the Bratva star inked upon it.

He groaned in response, lips dropping to her ear again. "You drive me fucking crazy, you know that?"

She closed her eyes and just barely suppressed a whine. He made her feel so... _alive_ and like she was teetering on the brink of both heaven and madness. He was too much and not enough all at once, because the very worst part of all was that she couldn't kiss him. And _God_ she wanted to kiss him more than she wanted to take her next breath.

But she had to work with what she _could_ do instead. So, with one hand buried in his long, soft hair and her lips leaving soft, sweet kisses along his jawline, she let her other hand sneak down past his stomach and slide into his pants. She felt him tense and then shudder with relief when she wrapped her hand around him - the first time she'd ever directly touched him like that - and started gently stroking. He let out a shaky breath and let his forehead fall against hers, and she watched his face in awe as he began rocking into her hand.

His eyes were closed, his brows slightly furrowed and his lips parted, and she thought that she could have watched him like that forever. She picked up the pace and earned a low groan in response, and her own arousal began to spark anew as she pleasured him.

But then, because they continued to have the worst luck in the whole world, there was suddenly a loud and jarring knock on the other side of the door, just behind Summer's head. She squealed and nearly jumped out of her skin, freezing immediately while Bucky's head shot up and his eyes shifted from glazed over with pleasure to absolutely murderous.

" _Fucking what_?" he barked at the door.

"It's me," came Lukas' voice from the other side of the door. "Why is this door locked?"

Bucky gritted his teeth. "What do you want?"

"It's SHIELD," Lukas replied. "Steve has another possible location on Xu and he wants you to come in."

Bucky sighed and dropped his head. Summer continued to not move a muscle, her hand still in his pants but no longer actively... _well_.

"Fine. I'll be out in a minute," Bucky begrudgingly called back, his eyes meeting Summer's.

"... Seriously, why is the door locked? Are you not alone in there?"

Bucky clenched his jaw and looked away again. "Lukas, I will fucking kill y-"

"... _Summer_?" Lukas suddenly asked, tone full of gleeful delight. "You're in there too, aren't you?"

"... Maybe?" Summer squeaked back, smiling at Bucky and cringing.

Lukas laughed. "Ha! I knew it. Sorry to interrupt, darlings." Then he finally left them alone.

Bucky sighed, his expression highly disgruntled, and Summer paused before murmuring, "So, um... we could still... you know. I'd make it... fast."

He shook his head and gently led her hand out of his pants. "I don't wanna rush it. Not with you."

"Oh," she blushed. She didn't want to do that either, but she felt bad for leaving him hanging, especially after he'd seen to her satisfaction _three times_. "So... rain check?"

He smiled a little and nodded, leaning in close and giving her a lingering, sweet kiss on her cheek. "Yeah. Rain check."

She smiled at him, feeling as if her heart might burst again. Then he took a small step back and casually reached down to... readjust something, and when he saw the way that Summer openly and shamelessly stared, he gave her a wink and she giggled nervously, blushing all over again.

Then, just before he would have reached for the door, something lying innocently on the floor caught his eye. He reached down and picked up her panties, eyeing them curiously before he looked at her and shoved them into one of his pants pockets while Summer's jaw dropped.

"Wh- uh... why -"

"Because," he told her, invading her space again and putting both hands on the door beside her head, caging her in. "I want you to get in the car and go to work with your thighs still wet from me. And every time you sit down today and feel yourself bare underneath that little dress... I want you to remember me and what I did to you against this door. And when it makes you wet all over again... I want you to feel it and squirm in your seat and wish I was there to lick it off."

... Those handful of sentences alone did the trick. As she stared at him with adorably wide eyes and an open mouth, he simply smirked and then reached down to open the door. He lingered for only a few more seconds, eyes locked with hers until he slipped out of the room and into the hall, leaving her alone and thoroughly wrecked and disheveled - and hopelessly wet - against the training room door.

... _Holy mother of God_.

* * *

About four and a half hours later, Summer was chewing on the straw of her soda and staring off into space behind her desk, her lunch sitting in front of her mostly untouched as her mind raced approximately a mile a minute. She couldn't stop thinking about what had happened earlier that morning and couldn't stop replaying every last second of it in her mind, and when she did manage to think of something else for more than twenty seconds, she'd shift and be reminded of her lack of underwear and then she'd be right back where she began.

But who could blame her? As it turned out Lizzie could, because she had no idea why her daughter was being so spacey.

"Hello!" Lizzie barked from across the desk, plucking a french fry and launching it right in Summer's face. "Have you heard a single word I said?!"

Shaking herself and finally dislodging the now-disfigured straw from between her teeth, Summer blinked and replied, "Huh?"

Lizzie narrowed her eyes. "What was the last thing you heard?"

Summer paused and furrowed her brows. "Um... something about Tony and... flamingos?"

Lizzie groaned. " _Flamenco_. As in music and dancing and - you know what, never mind. What's going on?"

Summer blushed and pretended to suddenly find her food highly intriguing. "Nothing."

Lizzie tilted her head. " _Summer_."

"Ugh, _fine_!" Summer exclaimed, face going up in flames. "This morning before work, me and Bucky... kinda..."

"... Did you finally do the horizontal mambo?"

Summer's eyes widened. "The _what_?"

"The wild monkey dance?" Lizzie asked.

"... Those are the most unattractive terms for sex I've ever heard," Summer replied. "And no." She paused. "Not... you know. Not the, uh... main event."

"... But something did happen?"

Summer nodded, shoving a handful of now-cold fries into her mouth. "Oh yeah. And I'm dead. I don't think I've gotten any actual work done all morning. My brain is mush. Literally, if I got an MRI right now all you'd see is like... Jell-o instead of my brain."

"Was there finally some smooching this time?" Lizzie grinned.

Summer hesitated. "... Mom, I told you his thing about kissing."

Lizzie's grin immediately deflated into a frown. "I know, but... _dang it_. Isn't that weird? Messing around and stuff but never getting to kiss him?"

" _Duh_ it's weird," Summer shrugged, "but... I mean, that's his rule and I respect it."

Lizzie nodded. "So this is the second time you two have... done some stuff, right?" After Summer nodded, Lizzie then asked, "And you're okay with all of this?"

"... All of what?" Summer asked.

"Well," Lizzie said gently, "it's just that I know you, honey, and... you're not like other people. You don't do this kind of stuff with men you're not emotionally invested in."

"... Yeah," Summer nodded, confused.

"So while I think it's great that you two are getting closer and you're learning more about him, I just... I'm worried for you, because you're getting all caught up in a man who won't even kiss you. You still don't know _that_ much about him, and what you do know isn't exactly comforting."

Slowly dropping a fry that had been halfway to her mouth, Summer blinked in surprise and said, "I thought you _wanted_ me to get closer to him. You've seemed pretty supportive this whole time."

"I am, I am," Lizzie assured her, sighing and pausing to get her words right. "I just... I know how seriously you take intimacy and how much you value it. And Bucky is so powerful and so intimidating... I just don't want you to lose yourself in him and give too much away too soon."

 _Well_ , talk about a buzzkill. Frowning and losing her appetite, Summer muttered, "I mean, for what it's worth, everything we've done so far's been pretty one-sided and focused on me, so..."

"I'm not saying he's using you," Lizzie replied. "And I'm sure he's made it worth your while. He practically _oozes_ sex just by breathing. My point is, he needs to meet you halfway."

"... But if he's not ready to kiss me, then he's not ready to kiss me," Summer shrugged. "It's a big deal for him. This probably _is_ him meeting me halfway."

Lizzie nodded. "Maybe. But... what exactly are the two of you doing right now? Are you officially together now? Or are you just dating? _Are_ you planning a second date?"

Summer blinked, honestly having no clear answer to any of those questions. "Uh..."

Lizzie frowned. "See? Don't you think those are things you should know before you go any further with him?"

"Well... it's not exactly a black and white situation," Summer noted. "We're already married, so... it's all kind of a weird... gray area, I guess. I don't know. I'm trying not to overthink it and just... go with it."

"And normally I'd say go for it," Lizzie said, "but... this isn't an ordinary man. This isn't Scott, who I knew from the minute I met him that he'd never hurt you. This is... someone who's complicated, to say the least, and you're falling for him so fast and so hard that it scares the hell out of me, honestly."

Summer stared at Lizzie in disbelief. "... Do you think I'm making a mistake?"

"I sure hope not," Lizzie replied. "I mean, I see the way that he looks at you and treats you. There's definitely something there. All I'm saying is be careful. And don't move too fast too soon."

Summer looked down at her desk, mulling over those words and very valid concerns, taking a deep breath and trying to think through the haze in her mind. It was true, she _was_ falling hard and fast, and she was helpless to stop it. That ship had long sailed, and one particular piece of evidence pertaining to that truth wasn't one that she'd yet shared with Lizzie. But there was no time like the present, so she braced herself and decided to just throw it out there while she still had the nerve.

"So, um... remember when I went with Bucky to that big meeting at SHIELD?"

"Yep," Lizzie nodded.

"Well... so at the end of it, the director asked if she could talk to me. You know, the super hot badass lady I told you about. She asked me a few questions and then, uh... she actually..."

"... What?"

Summer cringed and sighed. "She offered to put me in witness protection and get me away from both the Bratva and the Triad."

Lizzie's eyes nearly fell out of her head. "She _did_?"

Summer nodded. "And I turned her down."

Over the course of Summer's life, Lizzie had always been a reliable rock of support, no matter what kind of mess she'd gotten herself into. She gave her advice and guidance but ultimately trusted her to make her own decisions, and for the most part, everything had always turned out okay. That was why it was so surprising when Lizzie looked at Summer as if she'd just fatally wounded her as she asked breathlessly, "Summer, are you out of your fucking mind?"

Lizzie didn't curse often, and that was one of the reasons why Summer froze in response. "I... well, I just..."

"You had a chance to get away from all of this," Lizzie said, gesturing vaguely to the room around them, "and you said _no_? You were almost raped by a psychopath and then almost killed more than once! You've -" She dropped her voice down to a near-whisper. "You've had to kill people yourself, Summer."

"I know," Summer replied, stomach twisting in anxiety at the direction the conversation was taking. "But -"

"Do you?" Lizzie asked, growing more hysterical by the second. "Because that should have been a no brainer!"

"Mom, we're here now," Summer said, trying to stick to her guns. "We're in the middle of this... family, and Aemilia and her baby almost died because she risked her life to protect me. I accidentally caused a war between them and the Triad and I'm supposed to just, what, disappear and be like _good luck, guys_?"

"Yes!" Lizzie half-shouted, exasperated. "This isn't our world, Summer, and it's not your war. You're not a soldier, you're not a killer. You're not really one of them."

Summer smiled completely without humor and asked, "Really? Because I've got a winter soldier tattoo on my back and the blood of three dead guys on my hands. This morning I heard new recruits talking bad about Bucky so I confronted them and ended up almost breaking one guy's arm. I never leave my room without a gun strapped to my thigh and I'm in love with a man who's killed more people than I can even imagine, so are you sure I'm not really one of them? Because I don't know _who_ I am anymore."

Her admission lingering between them like the uncomfortable, burdensome truth that it was, the two women stared at each other in mutual despair until Summer felt tears prickling behind her eyes. Feeling sort of like she was on the verge of a panic attack or at least a long, miserable cry, Summer looked away and then stepped out from behind her desk without a word. Lizzie tried to gently call after her but Summer kept moving and didn't look back.

She left her office and headed to the nearest bathroom, finding it thankfully empty and a safe refuge to fall apart in for a few moments. In the end, she didn't cry very much and she didn't have a panic attack, either. Instead, she splashed water on her face and stared at her reflection in the mirror for a long, painfully conflicted moment.

On the outside, she still looked the same. Same shiny, long black hair and bright blue eyes, pretty smile and healthy-hued skin. Her clothes were nice and pricier than they used to be, and her heels were usually high and stylish. She was smart and successful and attractive, in love and in possession of new friends that she would give her life for. She had so much, so much more than she'd ever had before... but at what cost?

No amount of compulsive hand-washing or therapy sessions with Dr. Banner could wash away her sins or undo what had already transpired. Self-defense or not, she had still killed other human beings. She'd killed someone's son. Three different sons. Maybe they were also someone's brothers or husbands. Whatever they were, now they were dead because she'd pulled the trigger and ended their lives.

This was her life now. She was married to a king who protected his kingdom with walls built from blood and death, and she was falling in love with that man. She was falling in love with all of it, the manor and the family and the strength and loyalty within it, but _God_ who even _was_ she anymore when a little murder and a little death seemed like a fair price to pay to live this life with these people?

Her day having taken a decidedly steep turn for the worse, she eventually took a few deep breaths and headed out of the bathroom in a bit of a daze. She was hardly paying attention to where she was going, and when she accidentally smacked into someone and started instantly apologizing, she then looked up to find that it was Lukas who she'd collided with.

He gave her an amused grin that faded quickly as he looked her over. "Oh dear. Are you all right? You look a bit... terrified."

She sighed and waved her hand dismissively. "I'm okay. Just, you know... having my biweekly meltdown, I guess. I'll be fine."

"I'm sure you will," he nodded. "Have you had lunch yet?"

"... Kind of?" she shrugged. "My lunch break is over but I didn't really eat anything."

"Ah. Well, I'm stepping out for lunch myself and I wouldn't mind the company," he said with a friendly smile. "Care to take a bit of an extended break and perhaps even eat this time?"

At that particular moment in time, nothing sounded better than what he was offering. "You know what? That would be awesome."

* * *

With a small army of inconspicuous security trailing both behind them and in front of them, Lukas and Summer were driven across town to a little cafe that Lukas was particularly fond of and assured Summer that she would love. In the meantime, he asked her what was bothering her and bringing about the subtle haunted look in her eyes, and Summer decided to throw caution to the wind and tell him _everything_. And she did, telling him about her ever-evolving feelings for Bucky and her confusion as to their relationship status as well as what happened between herself and Lizzie in her office.

She even told him how scared she was that she might be losing herself and her identity to this strange new world that she had been sucked into, and how she was still trying to process and accept the deaths that she had personally caused. She rambled through it all rather spectacularly as Lukas listened silently, speaking so quickly that by the time she was finished and there was a moment of silence between them, they were only halfway to their destination. Traffic was hell that day, but she didn't mind. It gave her more time to try to screw her head back on straight before attempting to eat again.

"So," she finally said when Lukas had remained silent for longer than she was comfortable with. "Am I just... stupid? Or crazy? Should I do everyone a favor and go disappear to some farmhouse in Nebraska and live out the rest of my life with some fake name like... I don't know... April Smith?"

"On the contrary," Lukas replied at last, giving a small shake of his head, "I think you're exactly where you ought to be. And I think you know it, too."

Summer stared at him in surprise. "Really? Then why am I sitting here second guessing myself and word vomiting all over your nice leather seats?"

He chuckled. "Because your mother is worried for you and none of us are immune to the havoc mothers can wreak on our emotional states. And I daresay you've been through enough in these last six months to break _anyone_ , so that is, of course, a factor."

Summer frowned and decided to ask him the question weighing most heavily on her mind. "Is she right? Should I leave?"

"Well, nobody can make that decision but you," he pointed out. "If you felt in your heart and your gut that you should leave, then nothing I have to say could or should away you."

She looked down at her hands, fiddling in her lap like they so often did, then replied honestly, "I'm pretty sure my heart and my gut is telling me to stay."

"Then there's your answer," he told her with a slight smirk.

"... But does that make me crazy?" she asked. "Like, what if one day I end up dead because of this and it's my fault because I decided to stay?"

Lukas' smile faded and his tone grew more appropriately somber. "Listen," he said quietly, "I cannot - and will not - downplay the dangers of being a part of all of this. You've seen them firsthand when you saved my life and when Aemilia was nearly killed in front us both. But you've also seen the extreme measures that we take to protect our own. You know that nothing is more important to any of us than protecting one another."

Summer nodded. "And I love all of you for it. You and Aemilia are just... you're the most amazing people I've ever met," she gushed, and Lukas smiled warmly in reply. "My mom has Tony now and he's great, he makes her happy the way my dad never did. Thor, Frieda, Sam, Natasha... I mean, you guys are all incredible. I've never wanted to be part of something so much ever before in my life."

"You already are a part of us, darling," Lukas replied affectionately. "You've _more_ than earned your place in the family. If you took Carter's offer and disappeared tomorrow, we would all feel a rather large void where you once were. Some of us more than others."

She gave a somewhat sad smile. "Yeah?"

He nodded. "And your husband would be particularly devastated."

She raised her brows in surprise. " _Devastated_?"

Lukas sighed shortly and glanced out the window, telling her quietly, "I've known him since we were children. I've seen him fall in love and I've seen him grieve and I've seen him close himself off and become a shell of whom he once was. I know him better than he knows himself, and sometimes he rather hates me for it, but he knows it's true. So believe me when I tell you that what's happening between the two of you is _very_ real, even if he hasn't quite grasped it yet."

A spark of real hope warmed her heart. "... Really?"

He nodded. "But he's terrified. You can't underestimate his fear and how truly scared of you he is."

"... Scared of _me_?" she repeated, trying to understand. "Why? _How_?"

Lukas hesitated only briefly before explaining. "You now know of the woman he once loved, yes?"

She nodded.

"And you know that she died far too young and her death changed him," Lukas added. "But there's much more to the story, and without giving away details that aren't mine to share... I can tell you that in her final days, she hurt him in ways that made him feel as if he was a monster and unworthy of love. It wasn't her intention, of course, but she was never able to say so. And that paired with the shock of her death... you can understand why he hardened himself as he did and sort of became the monster he already was in his head."

... _Oh God_. Grappling with this new information, Summer muttered, "That's horrible."

Lukas nodded, agreeing. "Yes it was. And I tell you this because all of that is still there in his head. The closer that he allows himself to grow to you, the more scared he'll become that one day you'll reject him too and leave him for the same reasons. And he cannot handle history repeating himself. He barely survived it the first time around."

"... Oh," she said quietly, everything making a lot more sense now even if she didn't exactly have any new details of what had happened between Bucky and Vivian.

"And that is why you terrify him as you do," Lukas said. "You make him want to try again. You've crawled so deeply under his skin that he sent you roses and an apology letter when he realized he'd hurt your feelings - that is... _monumental_ for him, Summer. But he needs time. As much as I understand your mother's concerns, she doesn't know him as I do and she doesn't realize that for him, in his mind, he's already out on a limb and terrified of falling."

Her head was spinning. "So in his letter when he asked me to be patient with him..."

"... You're going to need the patience of a saint," Lukas confirmed, chuckling lightly. "But he's worth every bit of it, I assure you. I want nothing more than to see him truly happy again, and I think if any woman can do it... it's you."

Summer blushed a little and smiled, feeling much better now and a lot less panicked and scared. "I hope I can. I want to."

"Just give him time," Lukas advised her. "And stay strong yourself."

As they finally approached the cafe and the driver parked the car, Summer smiled a little weakly. "I'll try."

He smiled back. "And remember, Aemilia and I are always here to talk. Or take you out to lunch when you work yourself into a tizzy," he chuckled as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

"Thank you for this," she smiled back, following suit and taking off her seatbelt. "I already feel a million times better."

He opened his door and threw her a smirk. "Just wait until you try the smoked salmon."

She smiled back and then climbed out of the car, feeling a lot more centered and back within her own headspace rather than stuck a swirling vortex of angst. She took a deep breath and followed Lukas inside the cafe, incredibly grateful for him and for how much he clearly cared for her and Bucky both. Maybe everything would work out in the end after all, if Lukas was right.

She hoped he was. She _really really_ hoped he was.

* * *

Several days passed, and Bucky and Summer saw each other during meals and passed each other in the hallway more than once, both of them knowing exactly what the other was thinking whenever their eyes would meet. For Summer, her challenge was to sit there at dinner and not squirm uncontrollably in her seat as he made the simple act of eating look unbearably sexual, making sustained eye contact with her as he'd lick a spoon or, on occasion, one of his fingers. For Bucky, he found it rather difficult to rein in his baser urges and not simply just grab her and throw on the table and _take_ her, regardless of who was there to see.

They were both painfully aware of their little rain check, but life kept getting in the way of it being cashed. Summer's work kept her busy and so did Aemilia and Lizzie, the latter of whom she made up with rather quickly following their mild spat in her office. Bucky, meanwhile, found himself at SHIELD nearly every day that week, leading new missions and, with their help, discovering new threats within his own house.

SHIELD was conducting regular sweeps throughout the manor and Pierce Consolidated, and on the latest one, they found an untraceable listening device planted in the war room at the mansion. It was a new development and a highly troubling one - either someone had planted it who was a trusted visitor of the manor, or someone had managed to circumvent its iron-clad security including round the clock video surveillance and somehow put it there without being caught. Clearly the first possibility was stronger than the second, especially since they knew there was a leak somewhere in the family.

In the meantime, Steve located a known associate of Xu's and captured him with Bucky's help. He was the highest ranked Triad member that they had captured to date since their new partnership, and he also happened to be one of the Triad's go-to tech operatives. It was perfect - if there was anyone who should have been more than aware of the inside source's identity, it was that guy.

Following his capture, rather than take him back to SHIELD for processing and interrogation, Bucky convinced Steve to let him have a crack at the prisoner first. They took him to a dark, rather intimidating basement of an empty warehouse in Hell's Kitchen, and Bucky let the guy sweat it out for awhile tied to a chair in the pitch-darkness. When Bucky was ready to take a crack at him, he and Steve descended down the stairs with Natasha in tow.

"So," Steve said conversationally, "you guys keep abandoned warehouses throughout the city just in case?"

"Never know when you're gonna need one," Bucky replied.

"That's true," Natasha agreed, looking around the structure. "And this is my favorite one. Didn't we have sex here once?"

"Twice," Bucky replied casually as Steve looked at them both with slightly wide eyes.

"... But it's cold in here," Steve noted just as they reached the bottom of the staircase and Bucky turned on an uncomfortably bright light overhead with one smack to the wall. Steve squinted under the new light and Bucky walked straight towards their captive, who was straining and shivering within his almost brutally tight restraints.

Steve and Natasha looked on as Bucky approached the man and ripped out the makeshift gag in his mouth. Then, as the man coughed and sucked in as much air as he could, Bucky looked him in the eye and declared calmly, "Tell us who your source is."

He laughed and replied in very good English, "Fuck off."

Bucky didn't blink. "You know who I am. You know what I'm capable of and you know I'll rip you apart right here if that's what it takes to make you talk."

"And _you_ know that I'd rather die than tell you anything," he shot back.

Bucky smirked slightly in a way that was utterly terrifying. "I didn't say anything about killing you." Then he pulled out a blade from his boot and took a step closer, and in the background, Steve glanced at Natasha.

"If I take this guy in without his fingernails there's gonna be hell to pay," Steve told her.

"Don't worry," Natasha replied, not taking her eyes off of the scene before them. "He's very good at what he does."

Steve furrowed his brows, but he soon found out what she meant.

Bucky wasn't a fan of old-school torture methods like fingernail peeling and waterboarding, and in fact he wasn't a fan of torture at all. But when he had to do it, he preferred as efficient an approach as possible. Strategic attacks on parts of the body with the most pain receptors had, in the past, yielded him the best results with the least amount of mess. So that was his first approach.

He went about it coldly and methodically, like a surgeon performing the most routine and mundane of operations. A slice here, a stab there, a splash of rubbing alcohol or a handful of table salt to magnify the pain to unbelievable proportions. Steve was as impressed as he was horrified, and the victim was yowling in unimaginable pain within mere minutes.

After the first round, Bucky grabbed him by the throat and tipped his chair back. "Give me a name."

"Fuck you," the man gritted between trembling teeth. Bucky pulled out his gun and shoved the barrel directly into a wound on his thigh, grinding it into the bloody mess and making him shout with agony.

"I don't have a lot of patience today so I'm gonna ask you one more time. And if you don't give me an answer, I'm gonna show you how many places you can be shot at one time and still survive."

He shuddered in dread but remained firm. "Do what you want. I won't talk."

Bucky fired the gun without blinking. As the man's screams filled the room, Steve started to get nervous but he kept his mouth shut for the time being.

"Who's your source?" Bucky asked, still with that unsettling calm facade. The man continued to howl but said nothing, so Bucky shot him in the shoulder next. Then he took a step back and let the man nearly lose his mind with pain for a few moments, giving him his version of a moment's mercy.

In those moments, he reminded himself of why he was there and why he was doing what he was doing. He remembered that horrifying moment of driving up on his bike and finding Aemilia lying in Lukas' arms on the street, shot in her pregnant belly, and the rage that had filled his bones that night reignited under his skin. These people - these monsters - had invaded his home, threatened his family and his friends and his _wife_ , and the only way to keep them safe was to find the leak and silence it for good.

So, after that brief intermission, he turned back around and lost his patience. He smacked the gun across the man's face, dislodging not one but two teeth from his mouth, and then he cut him free from his restraints so that he could pick him up and throw him against the cold, hard wall. Steve watched with growing panic as Bucky mercilessly beat the bleeding, already injured man to a pulp, but always holding back from the sort of blows that could kill him or incapacitate him. Instead he drove him right to the brink of both, his face bloody and unrecognizable by the time Bucky was done with him and holding him limp against the wall, shouting his question in his face.

But the man never broke. Instead, with his last remaining bit of strength, he spat a mouthful of blood in Bucky's face and said, "Do what you want with me. We'll have our revenge. We always do. You know that." Then he _laughed_.

Bucky stared at the man in disbelief, and he would have snapped and ripped his head off of his shoulders had Steve not pulled him away in that moment. Natasha and a handful of Steve's agents went about securing the subject and tending to his wounds so he wouldn't bleed out before they could transport him to SHIELD headquarters, and Bucky felt like he might be sick as those last taunting words rattled around his head.

"Hey," Steve said gently, holding on to Bucky's arm and coaxing him to look Steve in the eye. "You okay?"

"M'fine," Bucky insisted, but really he knew better. He wasn't fine, and in fact, none of any of this was fine. They were no closer to plugging the leak and ending the war with the Triad, and his family was still in danger every time they stepped outside and even when they didn't. Finding that bug inside of the most secure room in the entire damn manor had been enough to nearly send him out of his mind with rage, and now he here he was damn near as useless as the man he'd just almost beaten to death.

His worst fear was and would always be failing to protect the people counting on him to keep breathing. After all that he'd lost in his lifetime and everything he'd suffered, it was moments like those where he felt as if none of it mattered and he was still a helpless little child listening to his parents being murdered in their own home. Everything he'd accomplished and the fearsome reputation he'd built over the last decade, and what good did it do him? What good did it do any of them?

"Don't worry," Steve told him, always trying to reassure him even when he knew it was futile. "We'll get everything out of him that we can. And he's only one guy. We've still got plenty of leads to chase."

Bucky nodded, staring at the bloodied man hollowly as he was given medical treatment that Bucky knew he didn't deserve.

"Why don't you go home and get some rest," Steve suggested gently. "It's late. I can take it from here."

"Fine," Bucky muttered, not wanting to go home but not wanting to stay either.

"Make sure you patch that up," Steve added, gesturing to a cut on Bucky's hairline near his temple. He'd gotten it earlier during a firefight when they'd apprehended the suspect, and Bucky had forgotten it was even there. He muttered something vaguely affirmative to Steve and then turned and made for the stairs, still silently fuming and mentally checking out as soon as he got outside and climbed on his bike.

He felt like an incompetent, useless failure. Alexander Pierce had faced trials and plenty of turf wars during his tenure as Captain but he'd never seen the manor or the Bratva in general so compromised. All of these things would have been unheard of just a few years ago, and yet now, under Bucky's rule, here they were in unprecedented danger.

As calm and cool as he might usually appear on the outside, on the inside he was terrified and his fear was growing every day. He hid it well, but the truth was that he had a terrible feeling that things were going to get much worse before they got better.

* * *

About an hour later, Summer was sitting on her bed and staring at her phone, deep in the throes of a heated mental debate. For the last half hour, she had been typing out and then swiftly deleting texts to Bucky, chickening out long before her finger could ever even flirt with the send button. She wanted to reach out to him after three days of life keeping them mostly at arms' length, but what exactly for? Just to see how he was doing? Ask him if he wanted to cash that rain check yet? See if he wanted a snuggle buddy for the night? Another haircut? A snack?

 _Ugh_. If Summer was being honest, she just missed him. She liked his company, as quiet and grumpy as he could be at times, and she knew how much stress he was currently under. He was always gone, apparently chasing leads with Steve and SHIELD every day, and the natural caretaker in her worried for his wellbeing. She just wanted to check on him, and she was pretty sure that she'd heard him come home and walk past her door to his own room, so if she wanted to catch him before he fell asleep... she needed to suck it up and hit the fricking send button.

... Or just go knock on his door like an adult.

She sat there and mulled it over for a few long moments before wondering what Aemilia would do in her situation. That was when the solution became almost stupidly clear.

She tossed her phone aside and stood up, deciding to _just do it_ before she lost her nerve. After a quick glance in the mirror to make sure she wasn't too hideous, she left her room and hurried to his door, knocking quickly upon it as nervous butterflies flooded through her belly. Trying not to think about what had happened between them the last time they'd been alone - only because she'd probably flood the hallway if she did - she stood there and waited patiently, then jumped a little when the doorknob rattled and the door opened.

There he stood, her husband wearing only a towel hanging indecently low on his hips, hair wet and skin still glistening slightly from the shower he'd seemingly just stepped out of. He blinked in surprise upon seeing her standing there, and Summer completely forgot why she was there and what she had planned on saying once they were face to face.

"... Hey," he finally said, undoubtedly getting a kick out of the way that she was staring at him, as if he was a tall glass of water and she'd just crawled out of the desert.

She shook herself and plastered a bright smile on her face. "Hi!" Then her smile faded instantly. "Oh God, you're bleeding."

He furrowed his brows and then touched the flimsy piece of gauze just shy of his hairline, nearly the entire thing soaked with blood. "Oh. It's nothing, just -"

"That doesn't look like nothing," she said, eyeing the cut with a critical eye. "Do you need stitches?"

"No," he insisted. "It's fine. I've had worse, trust me."

She wasn't convinced. "... Can I look at it?"

He was surprised by her question. He seemed almost amused for a moment until he nodded and then opened the door wider to allow her inside, and she stepped in with a shy smile to him and a not-so-subtle drag of her eyes down his body. She couldn't help it, and he definitely didn't mind.

He closed the door, and she looked over his room for one brief but thorough moment. She had a reason for doing so, and as soon as she glanced at his dresser and found the framed picture of the two of them that she'd given him for Christmas sitting there with all of his other framed photos, right in the front in plain view, she couldn't help but smile to herself and feel a pleasant warmth unfurl inside of her.

But she turned away before he could catch her. "First aid kit in the bathroom?" she asked brightly, almost a little too much so, and he nodded. "Okay. Um... go on and sit down, and I'll be right back."

He nodded again, still looking rather amused with her as he headed for his bed and sat down on the side of it. She made for the bathroom in the meantime and found the needed supplies rather easily - he'd left them scattered all over the sink in his seemingly clumsy attempt to see to his own wound. She scooped everything that she needed up into her arms and turned around, noticing something in the process that surprised her a little bit. He hadn't been in the shower prior to her visit but rather had apparently been enjoying his impressively enormous bathtub, which he hadn't yet drained. She wondered if she'd interrupted him and felt a little guilty at the idea - she certainly hadn't meant to interrupt. Maybe she should have texted first after all.

Putting _that_ aside for the moment, she returned to his bedroom to find him waiting patiently for her, still in that damn towel and nothing else. She took a deep breath and smiled at him a little bit nervously as she walked to the bed herself, depositing the gauze and other material on the mattress before taking a seat next to him, close enough to smell the scent of his shampoo wafting from his wet hair. He kept his eyes on her as she took a breath and focused on the cut, first reaching carefully towards his face and lifting the old ruined gauze from his skin as gently as she could. "So," she asked out of curiosity, "how'd you get this?"

"Butt of a gun," he replied as if he were describing stubbing his toe or nicking himself while shaving.

She blinked at him and paused as she reached for fresh gauze to clean the cut. "... Seriously?"

He smiled at her as if she was adorably naive. "I'm not exactly dealing with mall cops."

"Yeah, I know, it's just... _geez_ ," she sighed, refocusing back on the task at hand. "I don't want to think about what you have to deal with on these... raids. I'll worry myself into a panic attack. I have a hard enough time with that already."

His expression sobered a little bit, his eyes never leaving her as she worked and tended to his cut. "You worry about me?"

Her eyes flickered to his momentarily, cheeks growing hot in a terribly obvious blush. "Yeah I do."

He seemed to consider a reply for a few seconds, but he ultimately kept his mouth shut and she was almost relieved. They were both silent for a moment until Summer spoke again. "Did you have dinner tonight?"

"... No," he replied after seemingly having to really think and dig through his memory to answer.

"I can go get you something to eat," she offered. "After I finish with this."

He gave a small shake of his head. "I'm not hungry. But thank you."

She smiled a little and didn't push the issue. "Okay. Was tonight at least... productive? Did you get whoever it was you were looking for?"

"Yeah," he replied. "But he didn't give up the leak. I tried, I... I did everything I could to get him to talk, but..." He trailed off and shook his head. "SHIELD has him now, but they're not gonna get shit out of him either."

"... I'm sorry," she said quietly, unsure of what else to say. She was already almost done taking care of the cut, but Bucky didn't seem to notice. He was staring off into space now, his eyes seemingly worlds away, and she couldn't help but wonder exactly what he had done to try to make the guy they'd grabbed talk. If she was being honest, she didn't want to know.

After the cut was clean and she'd pressed a new bandage over it, she announced softly, "Done." But when he didn't react at all and simply kept staring off, she furrowed her brows and reached out to him again, gently touching his jaw and nudging his face towards hers. " _Hey_. You okay?"

He blinked a few times and shook his head, reaching up and taking her hand in his, pulling it away from his face. "I'm just tired. And sore. Haven't been sleeping very well."

"Oh," she replied quietly, certainly understanding that. And he _did_ look tired. She could only imagine what a toll all of these raids and fights were taking on his body. He was so young and he shouldn't have to deal with these problems, but this was his life and he seemed very much accepting and resigned to it all.

But maybe... _maybe_ she could help make it a little better, a little more tolerable.

"... I have an idea," she said, a twinkle in her eye as she met his gaze.

He quirked a brow, intrigued. "Yeah?"

She smiled and felt her cheeks predictably flushing as she asked, "Do you trust me?"

 _That_ actually earned her a bit of a genuine smile. "... Maybe."

She smiled back, unable to stifle a little giggle. Then she glanced at the bed behind them and brushed aside all of the first aid supplies, not terribly concerned with them, and then she turned back to him and said, "So, um... I was thinking... I still owe you that rain check."

The smile on his face immediately disappeared as he shook his head and started trying to convince her that nothing of the sort was necessary. "You don't have to... I don't want you to feel... obligated or -"

"I don't," she smiled. "And I'm not even suggesting... that. I mean, I'm not _not_ suggesting it, because I am totally fine with that happening, but... no. What I mean is... I just... if you'll _let_ me... I wanna take care of you." When he seemed both surprised and confused by this concept, she simply smiled a little more widely and gestured to the bed. "Just... lay down on your stomach, and... let me help you feel better."

Even though she'd just claimed that her offer wasn't innately sexual and she'd meant that, they then shared a moment of eye contact so potent that it made her feel like her skin was on fire. His eyes shifted from mildly confused to touched to _smoldering_ , and in that moment she had little doubt as to how this night would end.

But that wasn't her goal. She truly did simply want to take care of him, in whatever way he needed most. And when he gave into her request and moved, lifting off the bed and then settling back into it on his front with his arms under his pillow and his head cradled on top of it, Summer's heart began to race with excitement. Every time he let her in like this and allowed her to be close to him, even seeing him in a vulnerable state like she was right now, her feelings for him only grew... and _grew_.

Biting her lip and smiling to herself, she carefully swung her leg over his hips and settled down on top of him, hoping he wouldn't mind. He didn't, of course, and he definitely had no objections as she placed her hands on his back and leaned forward, caressing softly up his skin as she murmured, "Just try to relax."

He made a small, cute noise in response. She smiled and then began giving him a massage that put her very first one that she'd given him to shame. This time, she had him just where she wanted him and was far more confident in her own touch and how receptive he would be to it.

And _oh_ , was he receptive. And responsive.

Where the first time she had been cautious and hesitant, this time her desire to make him feel good outweighed anything that might have made her think twice or hold back. And sitting there like she was, on top of him with his body at her mercy, left her feeling breathless and sort of... powerful. It was similar to how she'd felt when he had been on his knees in front of her in the training room, peeling off her panties (which he still hadn't returned to her) and gazing upon her in awe. Only this time, sex wasn't an immediate factor and _he_ was the one moaning within mere seconds.

His muscles were as painfully tense as they were impressive as she gently kneaded them, slowly working all of the prior week's stress away and replacing it with something much better. Sometimes it hurt a little and he'd tense and grit his teeth until the pain gave way to something much better. Then she'd be especially gentle with him, using soothing touches and sometimes a gentle scratch of her nails up or down his back. He seemed to _especially_ like that, shivering and then relaxing whenever she did it, and she couldn't help but immediately drift off in her head and imagine how he'd react if she sunk her nails much more deeply into his back while he was on top of her, moving inside of her and driving both of them to the brink...

Closing her eyes and shaking her head a little, she drew a breath and forced _that_ particular image away before she got carried away and made it a reality. But _God_ did she want it - she wanted so much when it came to him that it terrified her. But for now she stayed focused on him and his pleasure, her hands running over the two edges of the _winter soldier_ tattoo that so beautifully matched her own.

She wondered what he'd do if she showed it to him. Maybe he'd panic and run the other way upon seeing such a permanent symbol of their union. Or maybe it would bring them closer together... perhaps bring out the possessive side that she just _knew_ that he had.

Maybe. She didn't know. And she wasn't gonna find out tonight.

After every knot and every bit of tension had been worked out of his back, she ended the massage lazily and sweetly, simply just touching him and enjoying doing so. His eyes were closed and his lips slightly parted, his body absolutely boneless, and she wondered if he had fallen asleep.

 _Well_ , there was one way to find out. Her hands resting gently on his shoulders, she leaned forward slowly and pressed a feather-soft kiss between his shoulder blades, just above his tattoo. She felt him stiffen just slightly in surprise, and when she pulled away smiling, his eyes were cracked open again.

"Turn over," she said with a very faint, breathless giggle, climbing off of him so that he could do so. She laid down at his side as he shifted over to his back, watching him as he got comfortable and immediately turned his eyes on her once he was.

They were very close, Summer nearly pressed to his side, and she couldn't quite wipe the smile off of her face as he stared at her as if she was some kind of goddess among men.

"You are... _amazing_ at that," he marveled, and she couldn't help but blush and look away.

"Well... thank you," she said shyly, letting her eyes travel over his ridiculously broad chest and the intricate, well-cared for tattoos upon it. She wanted to reach out and touch them, touch _him_ , and she suddenly couldn't think of a single good reason _not_ to. So she did, reaching out and gently touching the phoenix first. Then she ran her fingertips from that design to the Bratva star on the other side of his chest, and she asked curiously, "Was this your first one?"

He nodded, not watching her fingers but rather her eyes. "Yeah."

She kept up her gentle exploration, this time touching the tattoo on his left arm for the first time. Smooth skin turned to jagged, faded scars, and she glanced up at him cautiously as she said, "I'm not gonna ask what happened, but... I really love this one. Fits you."

His lips quirked, probably in equal surprise and affection. "Does it?"

She nodded, bringing her fingertips back the way they had come. "They all do."

She traced over the star again, and then the phoenix. Something changed in his eyes and became impossibly soft, and then he did something that took her wholly by surprise. He opened up a little bit.

His eyes shifted to the phoenix that she was still touching. "That was my second one. It's... I got it for her."

Summer's eyes flashed up to his. She didn't need to ask who _she_ was. She knew, and suddenly Drax's story about Bucky crying as he received the tattoo made perfect sense.

"Then," he said, briefly glancing at his left arm, "next one was the one on my arm. Couple years later. I'd been... captured. Tortured. Almost lost my arm. Got this to try to convince myself that I'm invincible. Like I'm made of steel."

Her eyes flew to his, those words doing something rather painful to her heart. Captured and tortured a mere few years after he lost his first love? Probably no older than mid-20s? How was this man still standing, let alone breathing?

He simply gave her a tight smile and then looked away. She knew that sharing these things must have made him terribly uncomfortable, but the fact that he was sharing them at all was... _huge_.

For the second time that night, she gently touched his jaw and turned his face back towards hers. His eyes met hers and they were close, so close, and she wanted to kiss him so badly that it hurt. She craved it with every ounce of her mind and body, but she wouldn't do it. Not until he was ready. Not until he wanted it as badly as she did.

"You're... incredible," she all but whispered to him, meaning it more than she'd ever meant anything else before. He almost winced as if those words pained him, his eyes shining a little bit in response, and she quickly added, "I _really_ mean that."

"You wouldn't say that if you knew the things I've done," he muttered, looking away again. But she pulled him right back again, refusing to let him run away.

"I think I've got a pretty good idea," she replied softly. "And I'm still here. I _want_ to be here."

"You won't always," he murmured back, not a trace of doubt in his tone. And Summer realized just how right Lukas had been when it came to the fact that Bucky truly did have some nagging, mean voice in his head telling him that he was unlovable. He didn't just think that Summer would leave one day. He _expected_ it, like it was a pre-determined event.

"... Can I ask you something?" she asked, shifting a little closer to him. He gave her a small, almost imperceptible nod, and then she asked, "Do you want me to leave?"

He shook his head immediately, his eyes giving away how awful he found such an idea. "No."

She crawled back on top of him, not thinking twice about doing so. Looking him in the eyes, she promised him, "Then I won't."

He stared up at her like he desperately wanted that as much as he was terrified by it. His hands came up to grasp her hips, like he was keeping her there so that she wouldn't change her mind. " _Why_?"

She couldn't answer him, not really. Not without telling him that she was falling in love with him, and he was even less ready to hear such a thing than she was ready to say it to him. She couldn't even kiss him on the lips and express herself that way, so her options were unfortunately rather few. But she made do with the ones that she did have.

"You're good to me," she replied, fingers absently tracing along his collarbone as she spoke, unable to stay still. "You protect me, take care of me. Teach me how to take care of myself. How to punch," she smiled. "You're loyal... strong. Smart. Beautiful."

He blinked and grinned in slight bewilderment. "Beautiful?"

"Very," she giggled. "But I think what I like most is that underneath all of that... you're probably the sweetest man I've ever known."

His expression sobered, softening even more as he let his hands drift just barely up under her shirt. She didn't know if he believed her or not, or if he was simply too scared to, but he didn't object or question her. Maybe the time for that was over now, and he wanted something different. She did too.

His hands sliding up her sides under her shirt, she lowered herself down and brought both of her hands to his hair, burying them in the damp strands as offered him a kiss that he could accept. She closed her eyes and kissed the corner of his mouth, close to his lips but just far away enough not to compromise his rule. It was soft and lingering and not nearly enough, but for then, it was all that she could give him that he would allow.

She pulled away after and looked him in the eye, seeing a familiar flicker of heat there and knowing that they were on the same page. She leaned in again and kissed his cheek, his jaw, and then his neck. His hands drifted back to her hips and gripped her tight as he exhaled shakily, turning his head to give her better access and letting her do with him what she would. And she didn't take what he was giving her for granted.

Their previous encounters had been rushed and sudden, leaving neither of them with any time to properly explore the other. This time was different and Summer took full advantage, slowly descending down his body and committing everything about him to memory - every scar, every inch of ink, every part of him that her lips and fingers touched. He watched her all the while, running his fingers through her hair and keeping it out of her face, growing more breathless and needy with her every touch. She could feel him underneath her, through the towel still barely covering him and the thin shorts covering her, getting harder with every moment that passed, and she couldn't help but grind down against him. It was a gentle little circle of her hips but it was enough to make him groan and suck in a sharp breath that prompted her to look up at him in sudden concern.

But there was nothing to worry about. He slid his hands into the back of her shorts, squeezing and grinding her down against himself as he all but begged her, "Please don't tease me."

She shook her head, more than a little breathless as she followed his lead and worked out a rhythm that quickly unraveled the towel and left him bare against her. It was a happy unintended consequence, and he pulled her down against his chest as they spent a few moments like that, him fully naked and her fully clothed but both equally vulnerable and venturing into uncharted territory together.

She leaned her forehead against his, her lips so close to his but not touching as they breathed heavily and shared the others air between them. His hands were everywhere, beneath her shirt and sliding over her back, unknowingly touching the tattoo of his codename there before moving to the front of her shirt and venturing underneath it but not ripping it off like he surely wanted to. Then she reached down between him and took him in her warm, soft grip, and her first stroke was rewarded with a grateful moan that set her very soul on fire.

She found a gentle, steady rhythm as she watched his face give away his pleasure when his voice wasn't. He rocked into her hand and touched her _everywhere_ , greedily soaking up everything about her that he could, and she was happy to oblige. She also wanted to leave her mark on him as he had on her, so she left a few unmistakable marks on his neck as he began to get more vocal and clutch her harder. But when she pulled away to admire her work, she was distracted by the way that he looked with his eyes closed, brows furrowed and lips parted as he moaned softly.

But it wasn't enough. She wanted more, and she wanted to _really_ take him apart and leave him just as wrecked as he had left her after their last encounter. So she kissed the corner of his mouth again and then began to kiss back down his body, this time with a clear goal in mind.

It was quite a thing to be in his bed like that, gazing upon his naked form and being trusted with it, with his pleasure and his body. It had seen so much pain and weathered so many attacks and assaults, but he was still intact and still alive and he trusted her enough to let her in and let her do this. His eyes met hers as she settled between his legs, her hand still moving and her mouth watering a little as she licked her lips and prepared to take her prize. And that exactly how she viewed the act - a prize that she couldn't wait to claim.

Too shy to look him in the eye as she stole her first taste of him, she closed her eyes and held him firm as she licked hotly up the full length of him. He watched in a pleasure-dazed stupor, reaching out and cradling her head as she held up her promise not to tease and slowly took him in her mouth. He watched himself disappear and then shuddered and let his head fall back, moaning out a curse that he couldn't hold back.

The truth was, she'd always rather enjoyed this particular act, and she would have been lying if she'd claimed that she hadn't imagined doing it to Bucky more times than she could comfortably count. But the real thing ended up being so much better than anything she could have imagined, and when she peeked up just in time to watch him reach back and grip one of the wooden posts of the headboard to try to steady himself, a thrill ran through her like nothing she'd ever felt before. His free hand was still buried in her hair, pushing and pulling and probably not even realizing how he was guiding her, but she didn't mind. She gave him everything he wanted and more, losing herself in his pleasure and not even sparing a thought as to her own.

He was no quiet, calm lover. He just about lost his mind in those heated moments, trying to hold back and control himself but failing miserably, writhing under her touch and cursing so much that it made her head spin. She could tell when he was close before he could, feeling the tension coiling throughout his entire body and then redoubling her efforts, mercilessly and exquisitely driving him to the edge. He would have tried to warn her, gentleman that he was, but he was too far gone and when the coil finally sprung, he shuddered and gasped and moaned like she'd never heard a man moan before in her life, spilling down her throat and coming harder than he ever could by his own hand.

By some small miracle, she managed not to make too much of a mess. Even if she had, he never would have noticed - he was in heaven by the looks of things, completely sated and relaxed and, for just a little while, dead to the world. She felt rather immense pride at having made him come so thoroughly undone, but he was roused back to reality when she made her way back to his side, curling up there with a quite self-satisfied smile on her face.

He stared at her, speechless for a moment and still breathing hard following his release. She couldn't help but smile and repeat what he'd said to her after he'd taken her apart against the training room door. "Good?"

His lips slowly curled into a smirk, and then his hands were on her again and he was pulling her close, his intent clear as he murmured, " _C'mere_."

But she put her hands on his shoulders and stopped him, holding her ground and greatly confusing him while she simply shook her head. "That was for _you_ ," she explained gently. "You're exhausted and I can tell. _Especially_ after that. You can repay me some other time."

He was almost aghast at the very suggestion. "But..."

"I'm fine," she assured him, running her hand along his chest. "I want you to sleep more than I wanna... y'know."

He seemed absolutely flummoxed by her words, like such selflessness was simply unheard of. She merely smiled and leaned in, kissing his cheek before murmuring, "Get some sleep, okay?" Then she turned to leave the bed and head back to her room, because she figured that was what he preferred to happen next.

She was wrong. He reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist, stopping her and quietly, sweetly demanding, "Stay with me."

She turned and looked at him in surprise, though her heart leapt at those words. "Are you sure?"

He replied by tightening his hold on her and simply pulling her back down to the bed at his side, and she giggled breathlessly at the unexpected move. He grinned with her and pulled the covers up over them, turning off the light next to his bed and settling in beside her, himself still quite naked and her still very much not. He held her close with her back pressed to his chest, pressing a few sweet, lingering kisses to her neck as he murmured, "You sure you don't want me to get you off?"

Her skin erupted in goosebumps in reply to the lowness of his voice and the way that his fingertips danced teasingly under the hem of her shirt before sliding to her side, where they caressed softly from there down to the curve of her hip. But she shook her head. "... Another raincheck?"

He chuckled lowly and kissed her neck again, sending shivers down her spine. "You're killing me, woman."

She smiled and snuck a peek at him over her shoulder. "The feeling's mutual, trust me." She reached back and ran her fingers through his hair, smiling sweetly at him before leaning up and leaving a tiny kiss on the tip of his nose. "Now sleep."

"Yes, ma'am," he grumbled playfully before settling back down, a smile stuck to his face as a result of that teensy little nose kiss. She was still smiling too, and as she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, he relaxed too and both of them fell silent as they took comfort in being in one another's embrace. And just like she had predicted, he was fast asleep within mere seconds.

She stayed awake as long as she could, savoring being in his arms and the satisfaction of knowing that she had helped him feel a little better after a few long, rough days. She would do this for him every night if he'd let her, do anything he asked of her or desired, but she knew they weren't quite there yet. She hoped that they would be someday, but until then, this was enough.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: hey everyone! HEY LOOK I WROTE A CHAPTER ON TIME AFTER ALL. WEEEEEEE! :D I did not expect to be able to do that but I'm glad I did! I've got the next chapter after this in progress as well, but there's a chance it could be delayed by a week - idk for sure and I'm just playing it by ear, so next week there may or may not be an update. But I'm gonna do my best! :D Thank you guys so much for understanding and having such kind words last week, I appreciate each and every one of you SO MUCH and I'm lucky to have such fabulous readers :D My thanks to midnightwings96 for helping me plan out this chapter when I was having a bizarrely hard time with it, and for always keeping me on track and supplying me with ideas and support that I would be absolutely lost without. My undying thanks also to each and every one of you amazing readers for being awesome and sticking with this story every week and making it all incredibly worthwhile :) I hope I'll see you all next week, and in the meantime, hope you guys enjoy this latest chapter! *massive hugs***

Early in the morning in Bucky's office at the manor, the screen of his laptop came to life and a familiar, aging face appeared at its center. The image pixelated before buffering into a clear, high-resolution quality, and the man within the picture then smiled and greeted, "Good morning, guys."

"Morning, sir," Bucky replied from behind his desk, flanked by Aemilia and Lukas. "How's Moscow?"

"Cold," Alexander Pierce chuckled. "Seems like we're stuck in the never-ending winter. I'm about ready for a vacation in Tahiti." Then his eyes flickered to the couple within his sight and he nodded to them and said, "My belated congratulations on the new little lady on the way. Feeling better these days?"

"Oh, very much so," Aemilia replied with a smile. "Thank you for asking. I'm off bedrest and finally back to work after nearly going out of my mind with boredom."

"Well, I'm glad to hear it," Pierce nodded back. "Just let me know when the baby shower is and I'll make sure the biggest gift there is from me."

"Oh dear," Aemilia chuckled. "That's not necessary, sir, but thank you all the same."

Pierce waved her off in good nature and then cleared his throat, adjusting the glasses on his face. "Well, I'm sure all three of you have a busy day ahead so I won't drag this call out. How's the investigation going?"

Knowing exactly what Pierce was referring to, Bucky took a breath and replied truthfully, "It's going as well as I've come to expect at this point. We're still working with SHIELD to try to determine the source of the leak while at the same time keeping up our assault on the Triad's infrastructure."

"And so far none of the men that have been captured have given up any information on this... mole?" Pierce questioned.

"None, sir," Bucky replied. "Most of them would rather die than betray their families, and the less loyal ones don't know anything."

Pierce nodded. "Well, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it for you, Bucky. This is bad. This is really bad, and it _looks_ even worse."

"Sir, we're doing everything we can," Bucky responded. "And nobody's unhappier with the current situation than me."

"I have no doubt," Pierce replied. "And I'm not doubting your leadership either. The partnership between the three of you has yielded great results over the years and you still have my full confidence. But there's no question that the amount of attacks and infiltration that the American side has suffered over the course of the last six months is unprecedented. The manor is a fortress and it's been compromised _twice_. Clearly, something is very, very wrong."

"We couldn't agree more," Lukas replied. "And we are all doing everything we possibly can to protect ourselves and stay on the offensive."

"Who do we suspect as far as the mole?" Pierce questioned. "Do we have a list yet?"

Bucky tried not to sigh. "Well, we know that whoever it is gained access to the war room here to plant that bug, so either it's someone at a disturbingly high level or someone who was able to circumvent all of our security systems long enough to plant it without being seen. We're working through a list of suspects."

Pierce nodded, then paused. "How's your wife, Bucky?"

On the outside, Bucky gave zero visible reaction to the question. On the inside, his blood ran cold. "What do you mean?"

"Her training," Pierce explained. "Is she making good progress?"

"Yes," Bucky answered. "She's very committed. I've personally overseen most of her training. Natasha takes over on days where I can't. But she's come a long way with both weapons and hand to hand combat."

Pierce nodded again. "Does anything about her progress strike you as maybe a bit... too quick?"

Bucky furrowed his brows. Aemilia asked, "Too quick... how?"

"Well, I'm just looking at the big picture and picking up clues wherever I can," Pierce said. "And from where I'm sitting, it looks like the shit started hitting the fan almost the _minute_ she moved into the manor."

Bucky stared at the screen in disbelief while Lukas and Aemilia shared a look. "Sir," Lukad began incredulously, "if you're insinuating that _Summer_ is the mole -"

"How many men or women have you encountered who can pick up a gun and shoot someone in the face point blank, without prior experience?" Pierce asked. "I know men who've been in the mob most of their lives who would at _least_ flinch in the same situation."

"... She saved Lukas' life," Aemilia pointed out, aghast that this notion was even being entertained. "He would be dead right now if not for what she did. She had no other choice. And she's suffered terribly because of it."

Blinking a few times and trying to quell the sudden and unexpected rage at his adopted father for even thinking this, Bucky then added, "With all due respect, I was there when it happened. All three of us were. I took care of her afterwards and she was a wreck. What you're suggesting isn't possible."

Pierce quirked a brow in surprise. "That's a pretty spirited defense from someone who who used to be adamantly and _violently_ opposed to her coming anywhere near the manor. I take it things have changed?"

Aemilia glanced at Bucky as he paused and did his best to keep his features neutral. He stuck to the matter at hand. "All I know is that she's not the mole. I trust her as much as I trust everyone on this call."

Aemilia hid a little smile, and Lukas turned back to the screen with an expression that said _well, there you have it_. Pierce, however, wasn't convinced. "Well, as much as it pleases me to hear that things between you and your wife are improving, I would urge you to exercise caution. She's an outsider. She was forced into this and she has every reason to work against us and look for a way out. And as far as I'm concerned, she hasn't earned our trust yet."

"... What does she have to do to earn it that she hasn't already done?" Bucky asked, at a loss and no longer able to hide it.

"She's earned our trust," Aemilia told Pierce. "We know her. She's not the leak."

"Well, I hope you're right," Pierce replied. "Regardless, my advice stays the same. Keep the circle as tight as possible. Nobody in the top tier is expendable - low-levels are. Top priority is plugging the leak - everything else is secondary."

Bucky, swallowing his previous anger and irritation, nodded. "Yes, sir."

"And fair warning," Pierce added, "folks here are starting to get nervous. There was already some unease to begin with since Strucker's getting up there in years and a handful of others think that he's too soft. Now with the chaos happening stateside... it's got a lot of tongues wagging."

"What exactly does that mean for us?" Lukas asked.

"Well, it means that if there's another incident, I'll have no choice but to send a commander to the manor to observe operations," Pierce replied. "It'll be a pain in the ass for all of us, so I sincerely hope there's no other incidents."

Bucky grimaced slightly, replying, "We'll make sure that doesn't happen."

"I hope so," Pierce said sympathetically. "I know you three have a busy day ahead, so I won't keep you any longer than I have to. Good luck and I'll be in touch. Hope I don't have to see any of you anytime soon - no offense."

Bucky mustered the world's weakest smile in reply and he closed the laptop after a few more polite goodbyes were given. Once the connection was lost and it was just him and two of his closest friends, silence hung in the air for a few moments until Aemilia broke it.

"We're all in agreement that Summer is the _last_ person to suspect as the mole, yes?"

"Of course," Bucky muttered, still glaring at the now-closed computer.

"I don't think that woman has a deceptive bone in her body," Lukas added.

"Good," Aemilia sighed, crossing her arms. "Then I hope we can all also agree not to breathe a word of this to her. It would wreak havoc on her anxiety, and there's no use in adding to her suffering when we all know it's absolute bullshit."

"I find it rather rich that Pierce would try to pin the blame on a woman whom he himself forcibly installed into this life," Lukas mused. "Even if it was true, that would reflect most poorly on _him_."

Aemilia shook her head and then turned to Bucky, who was still sitting there silently fuming. She placed a hand on his shoulder and asked, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, fine," he nodded quickly and automatically. "Just... processing."

It was the truth. Not once during this entire ordeal and war with the Triad had Bucky considered for even a second that Summer might be their person on the inside. She was so _good_ and so innocent that it was an entirely preposterous idea - so why did it bother him so much?

He wasn't entertaining the possibility - not for one second. His gut was rarely if ever wrong, and it was screaming at him that she was innocent. But something about her being accused in the first place didn't sit right with him. She had been thrown into the Bratva, into a marriage both he and her didn't want, and now one of their most senior members was openly suspecting her of being a double agent for the Triad. Not only was it absurd, but it _pissed him off_.

In fact, it rather enraged him. He hadn't been this angry at Alexander Pierce since he'd first found out that he was forcing Bucky into an arranged marriage. The mere idea that Pierce and maybe a few other high ranking Bratva men suspected Summer of plotting to help cause the Bratva's downfall... he could rip off their heads for even _thinking_ such a thing.

"... Are you sure you're all right?" Aemilia asked with concern, breaking Bucky's train of thought.

He nodded again, this time standing up and stepping out from behind his desk. "Yeah. See you guys later."

As he strode out of his office, Lukas and Aemilia glanced at each other knowingly, communicating wordlessly as they so often did, and then they moved to follow him out. They needed to get to work and Bucky had a long day of dealing with Bratva drama ahead of them, so all three of them needed to make a pit stop at the same place first - the kitchens, for coffee. Decaf for Aemilla, of course.

Bucky, leading the way ahead of his two friends, swept into the kitchens first, entering through the dining room. He stopped in his tracks when he found a certain someone snoozing while sitting at the table, dressed in workout gear and her head half-laying on a plate that may or may not have been clean.

He stared at his poor sleepy wife as Lukas and Aemilia arrived just behind him, also stopping to behold the rather cute and puzzling sight.

"Oh dear," Aemilia chuckled lightly, keeping her voice down. "Look at her! She's so _cute_."

Summer gave a loud snore out of nowhere, and Bucky smiled while Aemilia giggled and Lukas shook his head.

"... I think I see strawberry jam in her hair," Lukas noted.

"We really must wake her up," Aemilia decided.

Instead, however, all three of them gazed at the woman for another minute or two, each of them even more convinced than they had been before that Summer was the absolute _last_ person that they'd ever have to suspect of espionage.

She was certainly no double agent. The real question, however, was what exactly she was dreaming about as she jerked a little bit and made a noise that was either distressed or... well, decidedly _not_ distressed.

* * *

Summer had experienced quite a few surreal things in her life, but this time she was almost entirely sure that she was dreaming.

She _had_ to be.

Right?

"Um... _what_?!"

"I think you heard us, darling," Aemilia purred, taking both of Summer's hands and leading her inside hers and Lukas' room. She smiled while Summer stared at her in alarm before whipping her head around when Lukas slammed the door shut behind them. Aemilia let go of one of her hands to reach up and nudge Summer's jaw, making her face Aemilia again. "Oh come on. Don't pretend as if you haven't thought of this before."

Summer reddened and stopped in her tracks, stammering, "Well, I... uh..."

Then she gasped when suddenly there was another presence very close behind her, crowding her space and thus pushing her closer to Aemilia. She heard a familiar, silky, _low_ voice as warm breath washed over her ear and hands came to rest on her hips as if they simply belonged there. "We _know_ you, Summer. We know exactly how that filthy mind of yours works, and we also know how particularly... _insatiable_ you are."

Now in a veritable sandwich between Lukas and Aemilia both, still being led to their bedroom and swiftly approaching it, Summer's mouth dropped open and she stared at Aemilia as her blush grew even deeper. "You - you... _do_?"

"You're my best friend," Aemilia smiled at her as they entered the bedroom, bringing one delicate hand to Summer's cheek as Lukas actually _nibbled_ on her ear, nearly making her moan just from that tiny contact. "I think we know each other very well by now, don't you?"

Before Summer could answer, Lukas groaned a little bit and dragged his lips down just behind her ear. "And you're also aware that Aemilia and I can be quite generous and... _sharing_ when we want to be?"

Aemilia grinned and bit her lip, running her hands up Summer's shoulders and pressing them a little more tightly together so that Summer could feel _all_ of her and her sweet curves. In response to all of this, Summer's eyes rolled shut and she half-moaned, "Oh my God, I'm gonna die."

But the couple merely chuckled and steered Summer to their bed, sitting her down on the end of it and proceeding to continue casually blowing her mind. They started slowly undressing her, Aemilia's hand tugging at her shirt while Lukas slowly dragged her skirt up her legs, and Summer stared at them both in a stupor. Lukas dropped hot little kisses on her neck and Aemilia was lifting up Summer's chin as she leaned in close, looking at her lips as she asked, "Have you thought about this before? Kissing me?"

Summer tried to answer, she really did, but Lukas' hand was drifting up her inner thigh and his tongue was hot on her pulse point, and Aemilia's free hand was under Summer's shirt and resting between her breasts. She couldn't say a word, and she didn't have to. The answer was obvious.

"I have too," Aemilia told her with a little smile. "You're absolutely beautiful. And it's been ages since I've gotten to touch a woman. Will you let me touch you?"

Summer, utterly awash in lust and unspeakable thoughts and lingering shock, nodded her head and then closed her eyes as Aemilia closed the distance between them and kissed her. Summer had never kissed another woman before, and the softness of Aemilia's lips had her almost instantly drunk on the sensation. Aemilia was an exceptional kisser, caressing her lips against Summer's slowly but not timidly in the least, easing her into the kiss and coaxing her mouth open to allow her to slip her tongue between Summer's lips. Summer moaned softly at that first touch, reaching out and tangling her hand in Aemilia's auburn curls, and then she gasped and arched her back - Lukas' long, perfect fingers had tripped between her legs and rubbed exactly where she was aching, and _holy crap_ she wasn't gonna survive this.

Aemilia pulled away from their kiss with a blush and an adorably dirty little smirk, and Summer only had a moment to stare at her before Lukas pulled her his way next and gave her a rather ravenous look before leaning in and laying a devouring kiss on her lips. There was little preamble or warning, only a brief flash of heart-pounding eye contact before his lips were on hers and his tongue was working filthily and expertly against hers. She whimpered and felt like she just might die on the spot, head spinning at how different and perfect of a kisser he was, but then there was a smaller hand between her legs and fingers dipping into her panties, and she almost came undone then and there.

Then, her mind all but lost to her and nothing else in the world mattering, Summer melted into both of her friends - lovers? - as they took turns kissing the ever living hell out of her. Aemilia's clever little fingers kept hard at work all the while, rubbing and gently exploring and making her body tremble with pleasure. It was so good and she was so close so quickly but... _but_...

"Wait," she said breathlessly, breaking away from Aemilia's lips. Aemilia and Lukas both stopped and looked to Summer, though Aemilia's hand didn't budge and Lukas quickly resumed kissing along her neck. "We... I... what about Bucky?"

" _Don't you fucking dare stop, Summer._ "

Her entire body jolting in shock, Summer's eyes flew wide open and immediately searched the darkened room for the source of that unmistakable voice. She quickly found it and suddenly wondered how the hell she hadn't noticed them there before.

There he was, her husband, sitting in an armchair across the bedroom all lazily sprawled out like a king on his throne. His legs were wide open and his eyes unbelievably dark behind messy strands of his long dark hair, and perhaps most eye-catchingly of all... he was incredibly visibly hard, straining beneath the terribly constricting denim of his beautifully fitted jeans.

Their eyes locked. Summer had never blushed so hard before in her life, and shock and embarrassment and even shame quickly gave way to desire and overwhelming lust when he stood up and started stalking towards her.

Aemilia's fingers started moving again. Summer bit her lip and barely contained a gasp, squirming with pleasure. Lukas grinned up at Bucky devilishly as he grew closer, but no matter what happened, Summer didn't take her eyes off of Bucky's.

She had no idea what was happening, _but holy crap she loved it._

Bucky knelt down on the floor between Summer's open legs, only breaking eye contact to look down and watch what Aemilia's fingers were doing beneath the thin cover of Summer's panties. Then he raised his eyes back up and drew closer to Summer, glancing down at her lips as he asked, "Do you like this, baby?"

She moaned a little and nodded her head. "My God, _yes_."

"Bet you do," Bucky said, exhaling a bit sharply when Lukas started kissing _his_ neck next. Summer's eyes widened at the sight and Aemilia made a noise of pure want in Summer's ear as Bucky bit his lip and added as Lukas ravaged his neck, "How many of us is it gonna take to keep you satisfied?"

Summer could only moan in response as Aemilia's fingers picked up the pace. " _Oh God_."

"Answer me, _wife_ ," Bucky all but growled, making Summer's very skin nearly catch fire. "Tell me how you want _all three of us_ to take turns fucking you till you can't walk."

Then, right before her eyes, something amazing happened. Lukas kissed his way up to Bucky's ear and murmured, "Maybe she'd rather watch you fuck me first."

Summer's heart nearly stopped in her chest.

Bucky turned towards Lukas and looked him in the eye, staring at him like he was ready to devour him next. Bucky reached up and grabbed his chin between two firm but gentle fingers, replying lowly, "Or maybe _you_ just want me to fuck you."

Lukas grinned and looked up at Bucky through his lashes. "When have I ever _not_ wanted that?"

Bucky suddenly seized him by the back of his hair, pulling it sharply and then kissing Lukas with a brutal, consuming, incredible passion. Summer and Aemilia were both spellbound as they watched the two men nearly eat each other alive, Bucky absolutely merciless as he gave his friend the kiss of his life.

They broke apart panting and flushed, Lukas looking dazed and _mad_ with need while Bucky turned back to Summer and grew closer to her again, issuing one last command in a tone that made her body shiver and her hips jerk against Aemilia's hand.

"Answer my question," he repeated. "Don't you wanna be good for me and do what Daddy says?"

And that was it. She gasped and moaned out nonsense and fell apart at the seams, gushing on her best friend's fingers and losing her mind for all three of her companions to see. The pleasure was mind-blowing, earth-shaking, possibly even life-changing... until it was abruptly ended by the feeling of being shaken awake by one of the very people in her scandalous little dream.

And yes, it had all been a dream. A wonderful, filthy, incredible dream.

"Summer?" the real Aemilia asked in concern as she shook the napping but seemingly distressed Summer awake. "Summer, are you all right? Wake up, you're dreaming."

Summer's eyes flew open and she awoke with a gasp. Aemilia's face being the first one she saw, she immediately squeaked and freaked out and ended up tumbling off of her seat at the dining room table, all while Aemilia - and a certain two others - watched in even greater confusion.

It had been a dream, she realized after she hit the floor and blinked a few times, brushing her hair out of her face and refocusing on reality following that very, very vivid... _well_.

"Are you all right?" Aemilia asked, looking upon Summer with open worry. "Were you having a nightmare?"

Summer looked up at Aemilia again and then let her eyes drift to the other two people in the room. As fate would have it, Lukas and Bucky were also there, standing just behind Aemilia, and Summer bit back a whimper as she replied, "I... no. No, not a nightmare. I'm okay. Just... um..."

... _Fricking frick on a stick_. How did she even end up in situations like these?

"You look as if you've seen a ghost," Lukas noted, coming closer and offering Summer a hand that she accepted with a distinct blush. He helped her to her feet and then raised an eyebrow as he gave her a bit of a closer look. "Or perhaps... had a rather... _invigorating_ dream."

Summer's eyes widened and she blushed in sudden embarrassment, feeling her ears going hot as she jerked her hand back. "Wh-what do you mean? I wasn't - I mean - I'm - no, it's..."

Bucky, watching from the sidelines, blinked at her rambling and furrowed his brows. Summer took a breath and tried to calm down, ultimately blurting out, "I just... I'm _fine_. Totally fine. Natasha just put me through the wringer earlier so I ended up falling asleep right here, I guess, and... _oh my God_ what time is it?!" She snatched Lukas' arm and stared briefly at his watch before squeaking with panic and all but running off and out of the dining room. "I was supposed to be at the office 15 minutes ago! _Frick frick frick_!"

As she tore off towards her room, Aemilia smiled in confused amusement and wondered aloud, "I wonder what she was dreaming of."

Lukas slipped his hands into his pockets and grinned, "Well, darling, she couldn't look _any_ of us in the eye."

Bucky looked at Lukas and furrowed his brows. "... Are you suggesting what I think you are?"

"It's only a guess," Lukas shrugged. "But yes. And who could blame her? _Look at us_."

Aemilia gasped playfully. "A sex dream with all three of us? Oh dear God. If you're right, I feel bad for waking her up when I did."

Bucky groaned while Lukas chuckled and recalled fondly, "I once had a dream involving the three of us. Actually, I've had several. All glorious and incredibly vivid."

"... I don't wanna know," Bucky said, walking away and heading towards the coffee machines in the kitchens.

"Don't worry, darling," Lukas called after him. "You're always on top."

"Fuck you," Bucky called back, disappearing around the corner.

Lukas chuckled. "You always do!"

Aemilia sighed and shook her head affectionately at her husband. "I don't think you'll ever truly realize how much I love you, darling."

Lukas smiled back with equal affection and pulled her close with an arm around her waist, kissing her temple and then her lips as he replied, "On the contrary, dear. You'll never truly realize how much I love _you_."

She grinned up at him and crinkled her nose. "That was a bit cheesy, don't you think?"

"Abhorrently so," he agreed before laying one more quick kiss on her lips and begrudgingly getting on with the day.

* * *

Somehow, by some miracle, Summer managed to pull herself together and get to work and have a mostly productive day, despite the images and words from her dreams haunting her like a particularly enthusiastic ghost. Nobody could have blamed her, of course, and when Nicolo knocked on her door before lunch and stepped into her office to ask about an upcoming meeting, she jumped and slammed her hands on her keyboard and closed all of the open windows so fast that he thought he'd walked in on his boss watching porn.

But she hadn't been. Instead, she'd been trolling the depths of the Internet researching Daddy kinks because apparently she had one, if her dreams were anything to go by, and she felt a great need to reassure herself that she wasn't weird or going crazy and that it was a perfectly healthy kink to have. She wasn't sure how much of it was her and how much she could directly blame on Bucky being, well... _Bucky_. Suffice it to say, she'd never dreamed of calling Scott or any other man _Daddy_. But when it came to Bucky, he was just so incredibly _powerful_ and authoritative and deliciously sexual that apparently her subconscious took all of those qualities and rolled them into a word that she didn't plan on ever uttering aloud or mentioning to anyone, not even Aemilia. She knew Aemilia wouldn't judge her, but... some things were just better left unsaid, in her opinion.

Luckily, by the early afternoon, she had something to distract her from her mild personal crisis. Aemilia gave her a new task that promised to keep her busy for the next three straight weeks, organizing a charity benefit that the company was holding in conjunction with a major cancer research foundation. It was going to be a rather large event, the biggest one she'd taken on yet, and Summer's name was going to be all over it. It was a daunting but welcome task, and Summer was more than ready to throw herself into the early planning stages.

"Oh, hey," Summer called as Aemilia left her office following the assignment, "are we still on for _Tangled_ later?"

"Yes!" Aemilia smiled back from the doorway. "Just come on up to my room around 7. And bring the popcorn."

Summer smiled. "Oh definitely. Like, a gallon of popcorn."

" _Perfect_. The more the better. See you then!" Aemilia chirped happily as she left, and Summer let out a cheerful sigh as she got back to work. The day might have gotten off to a rough and awkward start, but with a Disney movie night with Aemilia ahead, it looked like the day would be salvaged yet.

Summer finished up her day at work without incident and headed home on time, with Sam accompanying her and guarding her as she was driven home. She chatted with him about the latest happenings at the office as well as a few random bits of celebrity gossip - her marriage had already outlasted a few much more famous ones - and when she got back home and headed to the main floor to grab dinner, she was in good spirits and thoroughly distracted from her earlier embarrassment. With any luck, nobody would ever mention it again and Aemilia wouldn't question her on it when they started their movie night.

Bucky was nowhere to be seen, so Summer ate dinner with Sam, Lizzie and Tony. About an hour afterwards, 7 o'clock was quickly approaching, so she popped an ungodly amount of popcorn and added an equally ungodly amount of butter that she'd never cop to, then made a pit stop in her room to grab her Blu Ray of _Tangled_. All of the necessary supplies in hand, she headed off to Aemilia's room and arrived right on time at 7:01.

She knocked lightly first and then entered, not thinking twice about doing so. She let the door shut behind her and then strolled through her sitting area towards her bedroom door, calling out, "Hey, so don't blame me if eating this popcorn clogs one of your arteries, because I kind of went crazy but I figured since you're pregnant you need extra calories anyway so if there's ever a time to channel Paula Deen it's now." She opened the bedroom door and walked inside, then stopped dead in her tracks and proceeded to freeze in shock and make the single most embarrassing noise of her life.

Aemilia had, evidently, forgotten about their plans and gotten up to more... _strenuous_ things instead. She was on her hands and knees in bed, _very_ naked, and Lukas was on his knees behind her and very obviously... _inside_ of her.

Apparently, the universe's sense of humor was as wicked as ever. And even though Summer had technically seen them both naked before in their scandalous little photo album that she'd accidentally stumbled across, seeing the real thing in person was... _completely_ different.

"Oh my God," Aemilia squeaked when she looked up and saw the rather shellshocked Summer standing there in the doorway, stuck in one of those slow-motion moments that seemed to last an eternity. Equally dying inside, Aemilia whined, "I'm sorry! I... oh God, I forgot..."

Summer opened her mouth to say something - though she had no idea what - but then Lukas gritted his teeth, gripping his wife's hips and then turning his eyes directly on their inadvertent intruder. She'd never seen his eyes so wild and heated before. "Summer," he said with great but tenuous self-control, "either stay and watch or turn around and leave because either way I need to _fucking_ move."

... _Oh mother of God_. For a split second of sheer madness, Summer actually considered just taking a seat and watching - she had popcorn ready and everything, after all - but then sanity quickly returned and she babbled out a string of humiliated apologies before turning and tearing out of there like a bat out of hell, feeling embarrassed and shocked and... other things that were, frankly, obvious and needed no explanation.

She slammed their bedroom door shut behind them and hustled out of their suite, her feet moving on autopilot as she burst into the hall and started heading back to her own room, clutching the popcorn and movie like a lifeline. Her eyes were big and her face beyond merely red, and because she wasn't watching where she was going as she mentally replayed what she'd seen over and over, she collided rather spectacularly with someone after turning a corner in the hallway.

It was, _of course_ , Bucky. A small portion of the popcorn went flying up in the air and she dropped the movie, and after it happened and she looked up and saw who she'd smacked into, she groaned and muttered, " _Oh my God_ , this is getting ridiculous."

Bucky, furrowing his brows and looking her over as he bent down to pick up the movie, asked in confusion, "Are you okay?"

" _No_ ," she blurted, huffing out a deep breath and feeling her face grow even hotter. "I just fricking walked in on Lukas and Aemilia... you know..." She paused and gestured bizarrely, making Bucky's eyes widen fractionally before she added, "Like... doggy style!"

Bucky's confusion gave way to understanding and amusement. "Oh," he chuckled, apparently finding her distress rather entertaining. "How'd you manage that?"

"Well, me and her were supposed to watch that," Summer gestured to the movie still in his hands, making him glance down at it, "but I guess she forgot and... yeah. Not that I blame her at all, but _man_ I wish they'd locked the doors or something."

Bucky's eyes flitted up to hers and he asked knowingly, "Do you?"

She froze and stared at him. "... Huh?"

"Never mind," he shrugged, grinning to himself. Then he reached out and plucked a piece of popcorn from the bowl in her arms. "I'll watch the movie with you. If you want."

Her eyes widened. "You will?"

He nodded, stealing another piece. "Sure."

"But it's... technically... I mean, it's kinda a kids movie." When he said nothing in response, continuing to nick more of the popcorn, she blinked and said, "Okay. Yeah. Let's do it."

"Go on and set it up in my room," he said, handing the movie back to her. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

"... Okay," she nodded, watching him step around her and continue on down the hall. She wasn't sure how all of this had even happened and she wasn't sure how she was ever going to look either Lukas or Aemilia in the eye ever again, but... all things considered, this was far from a bad way for the night to end up.

As Bucky went and did whatever it was he was doing, Summer took a breath and rerouted herself to his room. She hadn't been in there since the last time they'd spent the night together, when she'd given him a rather thorough massage and he'd cashed his _raincheck_. They'd never watched a movie fully alone together, always instead with the buffer of Aemilia between them for at least most of it, so this was going to be a new experience. At the very least, she hoped it would at least distract her from obsessing over how in the world she ever was going to act normal around her two other friends ever again.

In his suite, she debated which room to put on the movie. His living room was nice and rarely used, and his TV there was bigger than the one in his bedroom, but... his bed was infinitely more comfortable than his couch. In fact, it was the single most luxurious bed she'd ever encountered in her life. She slept like a baby in it, and not just because every time she'd spent the night in it she'd also been snuggled in his arms. Plus... well, the idea of curling up in bed watching one of her favorite movies with him just sounded better than hanging out on the couch doing the same thing. Friends watched movies on the couch; lovers watched them in bed together. Right?

She headed to his bedroom and set the movie up there. Once it was going and she found the correct remote, she then climbed in his bed and got comfortable, waiting for him to return.

Hopefully, she thought as she shoved a mouthful of popcorn into her mouth, the day's embarrassments were over.

* * *

Bucky returned to his room with a bottle of his favorite whiskey and two small glasses in hand, unsurprised to walk in and see that Summer had opted for his bedroom rather than the living room to watch the movie with him. He'd been hoping for that, not just because his bed felt much better on his back and muscles than his couch, but also because any night that he had Summer in his bed was a very welcome one. It didn't happen enough - sometimes not even once a week - but that just made the nights he _did_ have her all the sweeter.

He strolled inside his bedroom, smirking as soon as his eyes fell upon Summer sitting comfortably in his bed, her legs under the cover and her back propped up against a small mass of pillows. Her eyes met his a bit shyly, and then the smirk fell off of his face when he realized that she was wearing something different now. She was wearing one of his shirts - _just_ his shirt, if he had to guess - and when she knew that he'd noticed, she blushed and explained, "I hadn't changed out of my work clothes yet, so... I didn't think you'd mind. I saw this sitting on the back of a chair, and... yeah."

He didn't reply at first, keeping his eyes on her as he rounded the bed and set the whiskey and glasses down on the table next to it. He got into bed next, still eyeing her and wondering if anyone had ever made a man's white button down shirt look _that_ good.

"... Was... that okay?" she asked a little nervously, though he knew that she perfectly understood his reaction. She _had_ to.

"Depends," he teased, slipping his legs under the covers next to her but not because he was cold. He just wanted to be closer to her. "Might not have been the smartest idea if you want us to actually finish the movie."

" _Oh_." Her blush deepened, and _God_ he loved it. It was so easy to make her blush and squirm, as easy as it was to make her moan and writhe under his touch. She plagued his mind, the way that she felt and the way that she tasted, the way that she made him feel when she looked at him like she wanted him more than anything else in the world. She used to look at him with fear and dread, like she expected him to snap and kill her at any moment, but now... _now_ she looked at him like...

He forced himself to look away from her before his thoughts took him somewhere he wasn't ready for. He reached for the whiskey and poured her a glass first, handing it to her and telling her, "Figured you could use a drink after your... ordeal."

"Oh God," she muttered with a small smile, taking the glass and flushing all over again. "You know, I'd _just_ managed to forget about that, too."

"Sorry," he murmured, taking his own glass and watching her take her first sip. "I've walked in on him having sex so many times I don't even blink anymore."

"Really?" she asked, eyes growing large.

"He has no shame," Bucky replied. "And he _never_ locks doors. Pretty sure he does it on purpose."

Swallowing down a mouthful of the smooth, strong liquid, Summer replied, "He... when he saw me he told me to either stay and watch or leave, and I seriously for like half a second thought about actually staying... but then I freaked out and ran instead."

Smirking subtly, Bucky looked at her and asked, "So what _were_ you dreaming about earlier?"

Summer immediately grimaced and covered her face with her free hand. " _Oh God_ please don't ask me that."

He grinned, finding her absolutely adorable when she cringed and blushed like that. "Just curious if his theory was right."

She dropped her hand and glanced at him cautiously. "What theory?"

"That you had a sex dream about all three of us," Bucky replied, and he instantly knew that the theory was correct when Summer's jaw dropped a little and she tried to speak but no words came out. " _Damn,"_ he chuckled, wondering just how low that blush of hers went. "You've got a hell of an active imagination."

She floundered. "I just... I... you're all so pretty and... I mean... I've never... I just..."

"It's okay," he assured her, bringing her charming stutters to an end. "Nothing to be ashamed of. I'm curious though..."

She blinked and bit her lip anxiously. "What?"

He paused and grinned just a little bit. "What was I doing in the dream?"

Her cheeks heating up all over again, she looked away from him and forced out her very honest answer. "... Watching."

... _Fuck_. He hadn't expected that. He hadn't known what to expect, really, but just that single word filled his brain with visuals and about a thousand different scenarios that he could barely handle. He stared at Summer wordlessly, desperately wanting to know more but before he could ask, she smiled nervously and grabbed the remote and pushed play.

"Okay, so, movie!" she chirped awkwardly. "Yay. _Tangled_. Totally my favorite Disney movie."

He closed his mouth - how long had it been open? - and didn't take his eyes off of her until the first scene began to play. He was suddenly reminded of how he still didn't know exactly what had happened that day at the office, when apparently Lukas had walked in to find Summer on Aemilia's lap. Nobody had bothered to fill him in on the details yet or tell him what the hell those girls had been up to, but he decided that after the movie was over, he was going to ask and make sure that Summer gave him an answer. For the time being, however, he forced himself to focus on the movie.

He'd seen _Tangled_ before, during one of his and Aemilia's movie nights, and he definitely liked the movie. It was cute and it had an intelligent and complex enough storyline to hold his interest, and he found the songs exponentially less annoying than the ones from _Frozen (_ don't even get him started on fucking _Let it Go_ ). Aemilia had sung along to her favorite ones when they'd watched and had tried to get him to join in, but Summer didn't do that. Instead, she giggled at all of her favorite parts and, with each little giggle, she grew a little closer to him. She also told him in advance when one of her favorite parts would come on, and she even treated him to a mildly off-color joke that he hadn't seen coming.

During the scene where Flynn Rider wakes up bound to a chair entirely by Rapunzel's hair, Summer leaned over and whispered, "Bondage, Disney-style." Bucky, who had been in the middle of taking a drink of his whiskey, almost shot it out through his nose in response.

Naughty jokes aside, once the story kicked into gear and Summer let herself be sucked fully into it like she always did, Bucky enjoyed watching her reactions to both the funny and emotional parts. If he wasn't mistaken, she actually got a little teary the first time Rapuzel left her tower and got to feel the grass under her toes for the first time in her life, and when she giggled like a little kid throughout the musical number at the Fuzzy Duckling, he grinned and stared at her like he'd never seen anything like her before in his life.

She was so _silly_ and so cute, similar to Aemilia in those ways, and yet with every week that passed by, she was growing tougher and stronger before his eyes. She'd lost her free will and been forced into an unimaginable situation and yet she had adapted to it and made the most of it, enduring traumas that would have broken anyone and still maintaining that light within herself that made her who she was. She was so new to this life and yet she seemed to know what he never had - how to balance the light and the dark and not lose herself to the latter.

She was remarkable. She was everything he didn't deserve, but she was _there_ and it was by her own choosing. She hadn't chosen their marriage but she _had_ chosen to get to know him, to get closer to him, to sit next to him in bed and watch one of her favorite movies with him.

By the time that the lantern scene began, where Rapunzel finally got to see the "floating lights" be launched into the sky without knowing they were for her, Summer had lost any pretense of keeping distance between herself and Bucky and was curled up at his side with her head on his shoulder. She was completely silent as the movie's most famous song began to play, and for a moment he wondered if she had fallen asleep.

But she hadn't. When it was Flynn's turn to sing _I See the Light_ , Bucky heard sniffling. He blinked once or twice and then carefully, subtly glanced down to the woman cuddling with him, and to his astonishment, he saw real, genuine tears falling down her cheeks.

Those tears of hers _did_ something to him. In that moment, as the fictional, animated man on the TV screen realized how he felt about the list princess sitting before him, Bucky suddenly found it hard to breathe. All of his years of self-loathing and self-punishment, closing himself off to even the people closest to him, watching his life pass him by in a haze of pain and death and missions that never ended, thinking that he'd lost his only chance for happiness and was doomed to live out the rest of his days like a machine and not a man... and now suddenly here he was, having no idea what was happening to him.

His chest hurt. _Everything_ hurt. His stomach was in knots and his mind was racing, and it only got worse when Summer wiped at her cheeks and said in a wobbly voice, "I'm sorry. I always cry at this part. I'm such a baby."

But she wasn't a baby. She was... _amazing_. She was strong enough to still allow herself to be vulnerable and that was something he envied, something that made him want to be better and learn how to open up again because she deserved a man light years better than he was. She deserved to be treasured, cherished, treated like a queen, _loved_ -

 _Loved_. He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath, but it did nothing to ease the ache within because suddenly he _knew_. Even his great skills of self-delusion could only reach so far before the illusion shattered and he was left with nothing but truth. And the truth was that for better or worse, he loved this woman.

He hadn't even known that he _could_ love a woman again. It had been so long, so very _long_ , and acknowledging how he had fallen for his wife was the single most terrifying thing he'd faced in years. To love was to open himself up to the possibility of being hurt again, of having his poor battered heart shattered again, and he knew that he couldn't handle facing that a second time. If she ever left him, or if God forbid he lost her too...

"Hey," Summer said, looking up at him after the song was over. "You okay?"

He blinked and nodded, pretending that his entire life hadn't just changed before his eyes. "Yeah. I'm fine."

She nodded and smiled, then settled her head back down on his shoulder. This time he wrapped his arm around her, holding her close to his side, and he watched the rest of the movie without really seeing it.

He was _fucked_. Wholly and irrefutably. She'd snuck her way under his skin and into his heart and now... now what?

It was a question that lingered on his mind as the credits rolled and Summer began to stir, feeling around the bed for the remote. He let go of her and she sat up fully when she couldn't find it, and once she did, she flipped off the movie and took a breath before turning and facing him again.

"So," she smiled, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear. "Um... thanks for watching with me. It was fun. Sorry I cried on your shoulder like a big crybaby."

"It's okay," he smiled, shaking his head. "I didn't mind."

"That song just... gets me every time," she shrugged. "So... I guess I'll just... go to bed."

... Words couldn't even describe how much he did _not_ want her to leave. He thought for a moment, aware that she was giving him a chance to stop her, and he wasn't gonna waste that chance. His eyes met hers and he asked, "Aren't you already in bed?"

Her blush was instant. "I... well..."

He grinned and suddenly remembered that question he'd planned on asking her once the movie was over. He gestured for her to come back to his side, and she did without question, settling back against the pillows she'd propped up against the headboard. He angled himself more fully towards her, letting his eyes drag along her body before meeting her eyes. "I have a question."

She smiled a little. "Okay."

He paused. "I keep hearing about this story but nobody will tell me what happened, not even Lukas. But I know you'll tell me."

She blushed. "Um..."

"... What were you doing on Aemilia's lap in her office?"

Her relatively light blush became flaming within an instant. " _Oh_... oh God," she giggled nervously, covering her face and shrinking away a little.

He grinned at her obvious distress. "Tell me."

She hesitated but eventually dropped her hands, sighing and meeting his gaze before looking away and growing even more nervous. "It was nothing, really... I mean, it wasn't... you know... we weren't _really_ doing anything."

"No?" he asked, amused. "So you like to sit on all your friends' laps?"

She sighed again, smiling and shaking her head. "Not... usually, no. She... okay, so... her and Lukas had been telling me that I needed to... um... seduce you."

His eyebrows shot up a bit. "Seduce me?"

She nodded. "Yeah. And I don't really know... how... to do that, so she offered to... teach me."

... Now things were starting to make sense. "So you were... practicing on her?"

Summer bit her lip and nodded, still rather squirmy. "She kinda... showed me a few things first. Then she had us switch and..."

"... She was on your lap first?" Bucky asked, eyes widening a little.

"Mhm," Summer squeaked. "Yeah."

Bucky stared for a moment, needing a few seconds to... process that. The idea of another woman taking a hands on approach to teaching _his wife_ how to seduce a man... specifically him... holy fuck.

His next words flew out before he could stop himself. "Can you show me what she taught you?"

Summer froze and suddenly resembled a deer in headlights. "You mean..."

"On me," he confirmed, mouth nearly watering at the mere thought. His blood was already starting to rush in the opposite direction of his brain.

"I... oh God, I don't know," she said through a nervous smile, obviously chickening out before she had a chance to even start. "I mean, it was only once and I don't know if I was any good and -"

"Summer," he said much more firmly, taking on a tone of voice that he reserved for moments where a more _authoritative_ approach was necessary, " _show me_ what she taught you."

Her entire demeanor changed within an instant. She stared at him in shock for a very brief moment before she licked her lips and then looked down, slowly tossing the covers off of her legs. He watched as she rose up on her knees and then looked him the eye as she shifted, climbing on his lap. His hands immediately moved to her bare legs, sliding up them as he noted with clear heat and delight in his tone, "You like being bossed around, don't you?"

She blushed and shrugged, bringing her hands to his shoulders. "I... I don't know. Nobody's ever really... done that... before."

He'd known that she would respond to his natural dominance. She might not have realized it, but she displayed all the classic signs of someone _very_ submissive in many aspects of her day to day life. He saw those signs when they sparred, sometimes when they just spoke, and _definitely_ every time they touched. He'd even seen it in the way she interacted with Lukas and Aemilia, and he had no doubt that those undertones had come into play during that little seduction lesson.

His hands teased over her hips, over the lace of her panties and then back down again. Then he looked up into her unsure eyes and told her, "Come on. Show me."

Summer drew a shaky breath and shifted her hips a little, accidentally - or purposefully - brushing against the growing hardness beneath his thin pants. "Well... she told me that seduction is mostly just... letting your guard down and following your instinct," she said, running her hands down from his shoulders to his chest, then back up. "And that eye contact is important."

Looking her in the eye, he replied, "That's not easy for you, is it?"

She shook her head, blushing more deeply. "No. But I'm trying my best."

He grinned, his hands slipping under her shirt and sliding up her sides. "You're doing good, baby."

He watched her shudder and smile shyly and felt her hips give a little jerk of their own accord, and he made a mental note that she liked being told things like that. It fit beautifully with her inner submissive that she was seemingly not even aware of.

"Um," she said shakily, trying to keep herself on track and not lose her mind, "and she said... body language is important. Reading yours and figuring out what you want without having to ask."

"And what do I want?" he asked, absolutely loving every moment of this.

Her hands slid into his hair, a small smile on her lips as she leaned in and brushed them against his ear. " _Me_."

He grinned and then closed his eyes as she began kissing down his neck. His grip on her hips tightened and he rocked her against him, murmuring back, "You're fucking right I want you."

She kissed down to his pulse point and then raised her head, rocking down against him slowly and almost torturously. Their eyes met again just before hers flickered down to his lips, and he knew how badly she wanted to kiss him. He wanted to kiss her too, almost more than he wanted to breathe, but he didn't and she didn't try to either. Instead she ran her fingers through his hair, through the wisps of gray at the sides and the rich brown of the rest, and then she looked him in the eye again and told him in a heated whisper, "You're so beautiful."

He smiled and shook his head, one of his hands starting to undo the buttons on her shirt as he murmured, "Stealing all my lines."

"Sorry," she grinned back, her nose brushing his and their lips so close and yet still so very, very far.

Buttons halfway finished, his eyes flashed up to hers as they breathed one another's air, her hips still moving slowly and sending little sparks of pleasure up his spine. He asked her breathlessly, "Do you have any idea what you've done to me?"

Her brows furrowed and she seemed to lose her breath at that, shaking her head. Breathing hard already, he kissed just under her mouth and along her jaw, then down to her neck where he murmured against her skin, " _Fucked me up so bad_."

"... Sorry," she replied softly, perhaps not really knowing how he meant that. He hardly knew either, but he shook his head and drew back a few inches, opening the now fully unbuttoned shirt and finding her braless and beautifully naked underneath it, save for her tiny little panties.

He let her keep the shirt on, letting it hang off of her arms as he finally got to lay his eyes on her bare breasts for the first time. He'd felt them and seen them in her pretty, lacy bras, but this... _this_ was what he'd been wanting for far longer than even he was aware. He touched them softly with both hands, cupping and gently squeezing and teasing with his thumbs, vaguely aware that they were the largest and most perfect ones he'd ever touched. Then he brought his lips to them, gently kissing along one while his hand teased the other. She tensed and then whimpered softly when his tongue flicked at her nipple before drawing it into his mouth, and he opened his eyes and glanced up at her in time to watch her eyes close and head fall back a little. He groaned and then closed his eyes too, switching to her other breast and guiding her to grind down harder on him with his hand on the small of her back.

He could feel how wet she was through the barriers of clothes between them, feel her heat and how badly she wanted him and needed him in every small jerk and shudder of her body. He broke away for air and rested his face against her chest, rocking up against her and chasing his pleasure. They moved like that for a moment, both letting out soft but desperate moans until her fingers tangled in his hair and pulled - _yanked,_ hard _-_ and forced his head back. He moaned like something out of a filthy movie and stared up at her like he was gonna eat her alive.

She smiled and admitted, "Lukas said you'd like that."

He growled and cursed, hands seizing her hips again before commanding her, " _Faster_."

She moaned and obeyed, both of them growing ever closer and closer and not caring one bit that their clothes were still mostly on - his especially - and that they could have had a lot more if they'd chosen to. It wasn't about that, and he wanted her exactly the way that he had her - wearing his shirt, unbuttoned and opened to show her breasts bouncing softly with every roll of her hips, head tipped back and mouth letting the most delicious little sounds spill out. He could watch her like that forever and be utterly content... at least for awhile.

He could tell when she was ready to lose her mind. Her movements grew more erratic and her moans actually grew quieter, her expression becoming more serious, and he waited until he knew she was right on the edge to surge up and tangle his fingers in her hair, leaning his forehead against hers as he told her, "Not yet."

The whine that left her mouth was utterly pathetic. "But..."

"Do what I say, Summer," he told her, voice heavy and thick with his own impending end. He kissed just next to her mouth and said, "You've been so good for me. _Always_ so good. Don't you wanna keep being good for me?"

He said those words as an experiment, and just as he'd expected, her reaction was _overwhelming_. A little bit of dominance mixed with praise and she was _gone_ , putty in his hands and nodding like there was nothing else in the world that she wanted more than to please him and earn more sweet words from him.

"Good girl," he smirked, wondering how the hell she had ended up being such an exquisite match for him in every way. They kept rocking and he kept kissing on her, hands all over her and body aching for release, and when he couldn't possibly prolong it anymore and he had to let go, his grip on her hair tightened almost painfully and he growled, " _Now, baby_. Come for me."

The moment the words left his mouth, she let go and clutched him like her life depended on it as she moaned and shook in his arms, riding it out just as he came right with her. His eyes fell shut and he let it roll over him like a wave, his mouth open against hers but their lips not touching, sharing gasps of air as they both saw stars and only slowly, reluctantly, came down from their mutual highs.

He wasn't sure when or how, but he ended up lying down in the sea of pillows with Summer on top of him, her head on his chest as they both slowly recovered. He liked her weight on top of him, loved the smell of her hair as it wafted up to his nose, and most of all... he _fucking loved her_.

After some time had passed - he had no idea how much - he was running his fingers gently and absently through her hair as a small grin touched his lips. "Think you've got a praise kink, sweetheart."

She made a non-committal noise and muttered against his chest, "Just add that to my list of kinks I discovered today."

His grin widened before he furrowed his brows. "... What other ones?"

She froze and opened her eyes. "... Nothing. Just... ignore me. I'm still not here yet. I don't know what I'm saying."

He closed his eyes and shook his head. "You're a shit liar."

She yawned. "I know."

He took a deep breath and, against his own will, rolled them over. He laid her on her side and pulled the sheets up for her, knowing by now that she preferred being covered when they weren't in the heat of the moment. She smiled up at him sweetly, and he smiled back before murmuring, "I kind of... need to jump in the shower for a minute."

She giggled. "Yeah, I figured."

"You can come with me," he added, fingers fiddling with the collar of her shirt. "I'll make it worth your while."

She smiled back and blushed, drawing in a shaky breath before replying, "I... kinda... don't wanna move. Like... my legs are jelly."

He smirked. "Yeah?"

She nodded, still smiling all silly. "But... raincheck?"

He chuckled. This raincheck thing between them was amusing if nothing else. He nodded and dropped a sweet, soft kiss on her cheek before getting up and out of bed, heading to the bathroom and figuring he might as well give her a show on the way, stripping with every step that he took. She watched and giggled when he glanced back at her, tossing her a smirk that he'd hoped might entice her to come and join him after all. It didn't, but he didn't mind. Maybe she just wasn't ready to be fully naked with him yet. He could respect that, even if he couldn't relate.

In the bathroom, he flipped on the shower on the hottest setting and stepped out to let it heat up, grabbing a towel from a nearby shelf. On the way back, he passed the mirror above the sink and caught a glimpse of his reflection that made him stop and look again.

He was smiling. _Really_ smiling. The grin was stuck to his face, making him look like some kind of happy idiot, and for a moment, it was difficult to recognize himself like that. It had been so long since he'd smiled like that, in a way that felt natural and not forced or out of obligation, and when he tried to force it off of his face... he couldn't.

He really was in love. There was no denying it or ignoring it or rationalizing it. He was completely, madly, stupidly in love with the woman waiting for him in his bed, wearing his shirt and taking refuge under his covers because despite all they'd done, she was still shy around him.

He shook his head at himself and then headed into the shower, wondering if he'd ever understand how he'd allowed this to happen. It defied all logic and reason - at least the kind he subscribed to - and yet here he was, ready and willing to spend the rest of his life worshipping at the feet of the woman he'd been forced to marry.

He assumed the panic would set in eventually. It had to. But for then and for that night... he was pretty damn happy, for the first time in a long, _long_ time.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Heeeeyyyyyyy everybody! So, good news and bad news: good news is, obviously, we have a new chapter! Bad news is this is gonna be the last one for possibly a month or maybe even a little longer. I've got a big BIG move coming up - and for those of you who's followed me over this last year, yes I am moving AGAIN lol - and my living situation is undergoing one heck of a temporary change while we get settled in where we're going. So this isn't the possible delay of chapters that I mentioned about two weeks ago - this is an official break with likely no surprise chapters. But rest assured that as soon as I can, I will get back to writing and I will get this story moving again at as quick of a pace as I can. I'm hoping that I can pick the story back up around late February or the start of March, but I'll be playing it by ear. One thing I MIGHT be able to do is write little short things, like installments of All in the Family, so that's a possibility. I might also be able to write a teensy tiny bit every day and eventually come up with a full chapter over the course of a few weeks lol. BUT, just to be on the safe side and avoid disappointment, let's just call it a break. I'm sorry about this but ya know, it's RL. And RL doesn't always cooperate with me writing weekly 10k+ chapters. But I hope you guys will all stick around and bear with me! You've all been so loyal and wonderful since the very beginning, and so many of you even through previous stories too, and I just couldn't be more grateful. I love you ALL and this story will never be far from my mind in the coming weeks, nor all of you :D**

 **On a lighter note, I do think I'm leaving you guys with the best chapter possible :) I'm very proud of this chapter and I want to thank midnightwings96 for helping me with it SO MUCH and, as always, playing stylist to our lovely characters (every dress & every suit is, as always, all her) and for giving me a LOT of feedback during the writing/editing process and for just always being there and always being absolutely wonderful. This story is our baby and I'm super proud to have come this far with it, and so so SO much of that is thanks to her, like SO MUCH. She's fabulous, MorningGlory2 is fabulous (yes, you, MG2 :p) and ALL of you are fabulous and I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I look forward to hearing from you guys, and to rolling up my sleeves and getting back to work writing as soon as I possibly can! :D **

Sometimes, it was easy for Summer to forget that Bucky had a real and rather important job at Pierce Consolidated. So much of his life revolved around the manor and the Bratva that she hardly ever thought of him as a businessman who oversaw mergers and acquisitions at one of the country's largest corporate conglomerates, but that was exactly what he was. And just a handful of weeks after their sweet little Disney movie night, that job of his took him away from the city for a trip slated to last five days - just in time to miss Summer's big cancer foundation benefit in Manhattan.

She was gonna miss the hell out of him. Ever since their little Disney movie night together, he'd been different towards her in ways she couldn't quite put her finger on. It was little things, like the way that she caught him looking at her sometimes when he had no obvious reason to, and the way that his little smiles were growing warmer and more real when they came her way. He never hesitated to touch her anymore, and he seemed to love teasing the hell out of her whenever the opportunity presented itself. She loved the changes but they also perplexed her, as understanding him remained as daunting a task as ever.

On the day of his departure, Summer pouted from his doorway as he finished packing his suitcase, throwing in a few last-minute necessities - extra phone charger, a handful of hair ties, bottle of extra-strength Advil for when sleeping on an unfamiliar bed inevitably worsened his regular aches and pains. She watched him zip up the suitcase and then said, "It's gonna be really weird without you here."

"Trust me," he sighed, straightening up and pushing back some of the hair that had fallen into his face, "I ain't happy about it either. And I _hate_ Jersey."

"Nobody likes Jersey," she chuckled, walking into his room towards him. "Do you have everything you need?"

He grinned at her in amusement. "Yeah, I'm good."

"Okay," she sighed. "Just... don't forget to eat while you're gone. You do that when you're busy. And call me or text me when you get there so I know you made it there safely."

He tilted his head slightly, still wearing that grin. "You're cute when you worry over me."

Fighting a blush, she shook her head and replied, "Look, it's what I do, so just... get used to it. My anxiety knows no limits."

"I wasn't complaining," he replied softly, and Summer gave him a small smile and then turned around, taking a breath and letting the framed pictures on his dressed steal her attention for a moment.

The picture of her and Bucky on their date was still sitting where he'd left it, right in the front amid photos of himself and Steve, Lukas, Aemilia, Thor and Frieda. Seeing that picture always brought a smile to her face, and this time was no exception. They looked so happy there, like a real couple that fate had brought together, and with every week that passed, that was what they were starting to feel like.

Her smile grew when she suddenly felt two arms slipping around her middle and a warm body at her back. She closed her eyes and blushed when he nuzzled her neck, leaving a few sweet little kisses there and murmuring against her ear, "I'm gonna miss you."

Warmth flooding her from the inside out, she reached her fingers into his hair and melted against him, replying, "I _might_ miss you too. Just a little bit."

He chuckled breathlessly and nuzzled her ear, biting the lobe softly and sending shivers down her spine before retorting, "If I wasn't already running late I'd give you _at least_ three reasons to miss me."

"Three?" she giggled. "That's all?"

He growled a little and turned her around, pushing her up against the dresser and pinning her there with his body and his hands on her hips. She smiled breathlessly at the change and his nose grazed hers as he murmured, "You better be good while I'm gone."

"... How do I do that?" she asked as he pressed a kiss to her jaw, her fingers automatically losing themselves in his hair.

"Keep your eyes open," he replied, looking her in the eye. "Stay safe. Keep training with Nat. Don't leave Sam's sight when you leave the manor."

She nodded. "Of course. Yeah."

His eyes drifted down to her lips and then flitted back up. "Got your gun on you?" Rather than wait for her to answer, he reached down and slipped his hand under dress, feeling up along her right thigh until he felt the holster and the gun secured within it. His eyes darkened and he murmured in possibly the most overtly sexual tone she'd ever heard, "Good girl."

Those two simple little words making her entire body shudder and mind spin out into hyperdrive, Summer whimpered and groaned, " _Oh God._ "

He grinned in utter delight, then made her let out a surprised, soft yelp by picking her up and depositing her right on top of his dresser. "I fucking love how easy it is to drive you crazy. You love being good for me, don't you?"

She nodded and closed her eyes when his lips touched her neck again, this time kissing her there with much more determination, and it soon became clear why - he was marking her up before he left, giving her something to remember him by. His hand was still under her dress, fingers now teasing between her thighs and brushing against her growing wetness just to feel it and know that he'd caused it. Her legs wrapped around his waist instinctively, and if this was how he wanted to tell her goodbye... _well_ , she was perfectly fine with that.

Then, out of nowhere, his door opened and Summer squeaked and froze, but Bucky didn't even blink or stop a single thing he was doing.

"You are officially late," Lukas, their intruder, said from the doorway. When his eyes landed on the couple in front of the dresser - Summer wide-eyed and dying, Bucky still sucking bruises into her neck with his hand between her legs under her dress - he said casually, "Oh, hello, Summer."

Summer furrowed her brows and made a noise of complete bewilderment, turning her eyes up at the ceiling and wondering if this time she was just going to die of embarrassment. _Yep, this was it_. And Bucky's fingers were still _there_ , just softly caressing through the damp fabric and toying with her.

"Anyway," Lukas went on, as if he'd walked in on them playing cards, "as I said, James, you need to get going."

Bucky used his free hand to flip Lukas off, still not coming up for air. Summer whimpered and covered her uncomfortably red face with her hand, then audibly gasped when his fingers bypassed her panties and - _oh God_ \- he was...

"Listen," Lukas said, "as much as I understand why you wouldn't want to leave at this particular moment..."

"Fuck off," Bucky growled, all while his fingers moved and circled her and _mother of God_ -

Lukas sighed. "Hurry up and finish her off. Then get your shit and get downstairs. Bye, Summer." On his way out the door, Lukas stopped and added, "Oh - dig your heel into his lower back. He'll love it."

Lukas finally left then and closed the door, and Summer followed his advice without even hardly meaning to, her body simply acting free of conscious thought. When Bucky immediately groaned roughly in reply, Lukas called from the other side of the door, "Told you!"

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Obnoxious motherfucker."

Finally all alone again and completely out of her mind, Summer all but wailed, " _Oh my God,_ Bucky, what the -"

He raised his head and dropped his forehead against hers, fingers moving impatiently but no less skillfully as he told her, "The entire time he was standing there you were fucking _gushing_. Don't act all innocent. You liked it."

... _Good God she did_. What was wrong with her? Holding on to Bucky for dear life as her legs tightened around him and she rocked against his hand, she whimpered almost nonsensically, "I... I'm... sorry..."

"Don't ever be sorry for what you like," he replied. "Not with me. Understand?"

She nodded frantically, and then within only seconds, he had her throwing her head back and pulling his hair as she fell apart under his touch. It was everything - his impending departure, the _good girl_ thing, Lukas' interruption, her embarrassment mixed with a bizarre and tantalizing thrill as a result of it - that sent her shooting off so quickly, but it was no less powerful for how fast it was. Bucky watched her all the while, only removing his fingers when she was slumped back against the dresser and trying to catch her breath.

She opened her eyes just in time to watch him bring his fingers to his mouth and casually lick them off. She blushed all over again and groaned, muttering, "I'm gonna die."

He smirked and leaned in close, dropping a kiss to her cheek. "No you're not."

Then he drew away and ran his hands through his hair, fixing the mess that she'd made, and after he helped ease her down and off of the dresser, he turned to grab his suitcase. She smoothed out her dress and took a deep breath, watching him as he set down the suitcase and pulled out the handle, wheeling it behind him as he looked her way and smirked at her still-disheveled appearance.

"Ready to see me off?"

She nodded and forced one foot in front of the other, blowing out a deep breath and heading for the door. "Yeah, now that I can barely walk and I have yet another reason why I'll never be able to look Lukas in the eye again. Yep. Let's do this."

There was a car waiting for him outside, and when they made their way downstairs, the first face that Summer saw belonged to Lukas. She blushed and looked away, although she figured that they were at least somewhat even now. She'd walked in on himself and Aemilia having sex, and now he had walked in on Bucky and her... _well_. Still wasn't really helping with the whole eye contact issue, however.

Sam and Thor were there too, and they each bade farewell to their boss before Aemilia dragged him into a hug and squeezed him, telling him to be careful and check in often, much like Summer had. He smiled and hugged her back, and when they pulled away, he glanced down at her belly and said, " _Damn_. You're starting to really show."

"I know," Aemilia smiled, putting a hand on her belly. "And she's so active. Lukas felt her moving this morning for the first time."

"She kicked the hell out of my hand," Lukas declared proudly.

Bucky grinned, and Aemilia gave a soft gasp. "Oh! Here," she grabbed Bucky's hand and placed it on the side of her belly, smiling excitedly as his eyes widened in mild alarm. "She's moving quite a bit. You might be able to feel her too."

Bucky stood still and paid close attention, looking down at the floor as they waited to see if the little girl would make her presence known or hide instead. Summer watched his face carefully, and she knew that he must have felt something when his brows lifted slightly and his eyes grew visibly softer before flying up to Aemilia's.

"Did you feel that?" she asked excitedly.

He nodded. " _Yeah_. Wow. That's... so... weird."

Everyone laughed, including Bucky. Then as he pulled his hand away, his eyes met Summer's for just a quick flash of a second, and she wondered if he was thinking the same thing that she was. She was almost sure that he was, and she could only pray that she wasn't the only one with a glimmer of hope that one day... somehow... by some miracle... Aemilia wouldn't be the only new mother in the manor.

But that was something to worry about at a much later time. Bucky hugged Aemilia again, then glared at Lukas playfully before hugging him too. Afterwards, the only hug left to give belonged to Summer, and when Bucky turned to her, she tried to ignore the fact that everybody was watching as she opened her arms and drew him into a snug, warm embrace.

"Make sure you text me," she said against his ear, wondering if she'd ever get used to how good it felt being in his arms. "And be careful."

"I will," he murmured back, inhaling the scent of her hair and briefly closing his eyes. Then a smirk reached his lips. "Don't miss me too much."

She smiled and giggled softly, and all too soon, they pulled apart and it was finally time for him to go. They shared a smile and she kissed his cheek, and then he turned around and grabbed the handle of his suitcase again, telling everyone goodbye one last time and then heading for the door.

Summer watched him from the doorway as he got into the car, sighing as Aemilia appeared at her side and put an arm around her. "It's only five days. That's not so bad."

"I know," Summer nodded. "It just... sucks."

"Lukas has to take quite a few trips outside of the country throughout the year," Aemilia replied. "I don't like it, but I'm used to it. And besides... absence makes the heart grow fonder."

Lukas then appeared at Summer's other side and chimed in, "And he is clearly _very_ fond of you already." Summer blushed and watched as the car disappeared from the property, at which point Lukas casually added, "And at least he didn't leave you unsatisfied."

Summer groaned in lingering embarrassment and Aemilia glanced at them both and asked, "Did I miss something?"

Lukas grinned as he drew both women away from the door, gleefully replying. "Let me tell you a story, darling."

Summer cringed and slapped both hands over her face. This was gonna be one hell of a week.

* * *

Over the course of the next few days, Summer learned to navigate a new aspect of her and Bucky's relationship: texting over long distances.

True to his word, he had texted her when he arrived in Trenton, letting her know that he'd made it there safely. Summer, who had been eating dinner at the time, smiled to herself and reminded him to eat something before he turned in for the night. They each texted each other goodnight when they went to bed, and Summer fell asleep alone in her room but with a smile stuck to her face.

She awoke the next morning to her phone buzzing next to her head. She blinked and rubbed her eyes as she unlocked the phone and held it up above her face, squinting until the words of two new text messages came into focus enough for her to read them.

 _I fucking hate hotel beds. Could barely move when I woke up._

 _I could use one of your massages right now._

She smiled and quickly started typing back. _Aw that sucks :( when you get back I'll give you the best massage of your life_.

Thanks to his own text bubble, she could see that he started typing back as soon as her text went through. _Can't fucking wait._

She smiled. He was as foul-mouthed in texts as he was in person. _Eat breakfast yet_?

 _Why are you so obsessed with what I eat, woman?_

She giggled. _Don't dodge my questions :p_

A moment or two passed before he sent another reply. _No I haven't had breakfast yet_. _Have you?_

 _Nope_ , she replied. _Still in bed_.

His next message came almost instantaneously. _Yeah? Tell me what you're wearing_.

She smiled and giggled nervously, setting the phone down on her chest and trying not to feel as automatically embarrassed as she did. When she didn't reply right away, he sent another text and she picked up the phone to read it.

 _C'mon_ , he said. _Be good and answer me_.

She groaned pathetically and her eyes rolled shut for a moment. When he said things like that she was overcome with the urge to call him _Daddy_ and just die _,_ but as always, she reined herself in. She took a breath and started typing up her answer. _Um... I'm wearing a Star Wars t-shirt and... that's about it_. Then she decided to turn the tables on him and added, _What about you_?

 _Nothing_ , came his reply a few minutes later. _You know how I am_.

She sighed and closed her eyes. She definitely did know how he was. He seemed to generally adore being naked whenever he could, and with a body like his... she definitely wasn't gonna complain. He could be naked as much as he damn well pleased. _Well, enjoy it while it lasts before you gotta put on a suit and go to work_.

 _Fuck work_ , he replied, and she laughed. _I'd rather be home_.

 _Me too. I'd be giving you that massage right now_ , she teased, still laying quite comfortably in bed with a smile stuck to her face.

His reply was prompt. _And I'd have breakfast right after that massage_.

... Was he trying to be dirty? She wasn't sure for all of two seconds, but then she realized that _of course_ he was being dirty. This was _Bucky_ , after all. _Breakfast in bed? :p_

 _Only kind worth having_ , he replied.

... It was too damn early to be as turned on as she was.

Later on, their texting slowed down when they both had to get to work. Summer was putting all the finishing touches on her plans for the benefit and making sure nothing went wrong at the last minute, and Bucky had to oversee a sudden and mildly chaotic merger, which was the entire point of his trip. At the end of the day, Summer had Aemilia snap a picture of her slumped over on her desk between two empty Starbucks cups looking like she was ready to pass out for the night right then and there. Summer then sent Bucky the picture, and he responded with one of his own, of him sitting in a conference room full of mostly old men looking bored out of his mind.

She loved the fact that they were comfortable enough with each other to text like they did and exchange pictures like any other couple. They had made such incredible strides over time, and that was a distinct comfort to her while she was dealing with the fact that they still hadn't kissed. She tried not to think about it too much and for the most part she didn't, but every once in awhile she would wonder how long it would be before he truly let his guard down and let her in. She was prepared to wait for as long as it took, but _God_... what a sweet torture it was in the meantime.

As busy as she was, the days passed by in a flash. The fourth day of Bucky's trip was also the day of Summer's big event, and from the minute she woke up that day, she got moving and didn't stop. Everything came together with only minor complications, nothing that she couldn't fix, and her only slight chance to breathe came when she and Aemilia got ready for the benefit at the manor.

She wished that Bucky could have been there with her, even though he hated such events with an understandable passion. But in his absence, she decided to take a piece of him with her to the gala - with Aemilia's encouragement, she put on the stunning and obscenely expensive red silk dress that he'd bought her for Christmas. She felt almost like a different person in it, and with it being entirely backless, her tattoo would be on display for anyone who might have wondered who she belonged to and whose protection she was under.

It was going to be a long night, but at least she felt like a million bucks - quite literally.

* * *

"You know," Summer said, munching on a pretzel as Aemilia stood behind her in the bathroom and fixed her hair, "I literally think you're just getting more hot the more pregnant you get."

"Oh stop," Aemilia grinned, sweeping Summer's loosely curled long locks into an elegant updo. "I'm slowly entering the whale phase."

"If you're a whale, you're the hottest whale I've ever seen," Summer replied, shoving another two pretzels in her mouth. "By the way, I _love_ your dress."

"Oh thank you," Aemilia smiled, glancing down at herself. Her gown was floor length and a lovely forest green, covered in sequins and long-sleeved with a tastefully plunging neckline and thigh-high slit in the back. It contrasted beautifully with her vibrant red curls, which were half up and perfectly voluminous. "I do feel quite pretty in it, despite looking as if I'm smuggling a basketball."

Summer grinned and then asked, "How far along are you now?"

"25 weeks," Aemilia smiled back.

"Dang," Summer blinked as Aemilia started placing an inordinate number of pins into her hair. "It seems like just yesterday you told everyone you were pregnant."

"Well... actually, to me, it feels as if it's been forever," Aemilia shrugged. "That was when you and Bucky still weren't really talking. And you weren't nearly as comfortable with all of us as you are now."

She was very right about that. "Yeah... wow," she sighed, watching both of their reflections in the mirror. "Things are just... crazy."

"That's life here," Aemilia replied gently. "But you seem to be getting used to it."

And she was, for better or worse. "So," Summer asked next, "when's the baby shower?"

At just the mention of said obligatory event, Aemilia cringed and almost shrunk in on herself. "... Frieda's throwing it in a few weeks."

"Why do you say that like it's your execution date?" Summer asked, watching Aemilia's expression in the mirror.

"Because," Aemilia sighed, " _my mother_ is coming."

Summer lowered the pretzel that had been halfway to her mouth, her eyes widening. "... _Oh God_."

"Exactly," Aemilia muttered. "And she's bringing my quote 'stepfather'."

"You have a stepfather? I didn't know that."

"You know the man I told you about, whom I was forced into an engagement with?" Aemilia asked. Summer nodded and she went on, "Well, after Lukas took me from him, my mother basically took my place. All he wanted was a trophy wife and she fit that bill perfectly."

Summer's expression became one of abject horror. "Your stepfather... used to be your fiancé?"

Aemilia's entire face wrinkled. "It sounds very Jerry Springer, doesn't it?"

"... I am so sorry," Summer blinked. "That's... _ew_."

"I didn't even go to their wedding," Aemilia shrugged, putting the finishing touches on Summer's hair. "I wanted nothing to do with any of that. I haven't seen her since my own wedding. They live in London now, but... apparently he has business to attend to here and it happens to coincide with the shower."

"Oh man," Summer groaned. What a bizarre situation. "How long will they be here?"

"I'm not sure," Aemilia replied. "I hope no more than a week or so, but with my luck she'll decide to stay until the baby's born. That would be utterly... _ugh_. I can't even entertain the notion."

"Wait... are they gonna be staying _here_?!" Summer asked, eyes even wider.

"They're Bratva," Aemilia shrugged. "And family." She paused. "Unfortunately."

"... _Frick_. Well, if there's anything I can do to help, just let me know. Like you ever need someone to fake an emergency so you can get away from her, or anything like that, text me or give me some kind of signal and I'll take care of it."

"Thank you," Aemilia chuckled. "I have no doubt that I'll take you up on that offer. My mother is just... I think deep down she genuinely thinks that she's always acted in my best interest, but the truth is she's very selfish and... just generally terrible. You'll understand what I mean once you meet her."

"Man, I'm sorry," Summer frowned. "But hey, that just shows even more how awesome you are. You were raised by that but look at you - you're awesome and like the sweetest person I've ever met."

Aemilia smiled warmly and placed the final pin in Summer's hair. "You are entirely too generous for your own good, darling."

"Nope," Summer grinned back, standing back up and inspecting her hair a little more closely. "I call them like I see them."

"Well," Aemilia sighed, tossing her own hair back behind her shoulders, "so do I. And I happen to have a little something to give you before your big night."

Summer turned away from the mirror and looked at her friend with wide, timid eyes. "... You do? Oh God, please don't tell me it's something super expensive, because if it is -"

"Just relax," Aemilia chuckled, holding up her hand. "This benefit is a big deal for you. I've watched you grow and get better and better at your job with every event that you've taken on, all while training and integrating to your new life here, and... well, like I said at Christmas, I like spoiling the people I love. So follow me."

Apprehensive, touched and excited all at once, Summer followed Aemilia out of the bathroom and into her bedroom. The last time she'd been in there she'd walked in on Lukas and Aemilia... _ahem_ , but she managed not to think about that too much as Aemilia headed to her closet. She opened the doors and quickly found what she was looking for, turning around and approaching Summer with a box in her hands.

"Here," she smiled, placing the box in Summer's arms. "Just a small token of my appreciation for you."

Summer sighed and smiled, biting her lip and sitting on the side of Aemilia's bed. Aemilia sat next to her and watched her open the box, clearly excited to see her reaction.

Summer opened the box to find the most stunning and obviously expensive pair of sky-high heels she'd ever seen in her life. They were shimmery silver Christian Loboutin shoes, gorgeous and sparkly with red soles. They were downright _sexy_ , and Summer's jaw hit the floor.

"... Holy frick on a stick, how much _were_ these?" she blurted, pulling the shoes from the box and staring at them in sheer awe. "These are... _wow_. I don't even have words."

Aemilia smiled. "Well, they weren't cheap but they also weren't the most expensive shoes I've ever bought. I saw them and thought of you, and when you decided to wear that red dress tonight... I knew this was the perfect opportunity to give them to you. You can't wear that dress with just _any_ shoes, after all."

"... You're like a real life fairy godmother sometimes, I swear," Summer giggled happily. "Oh my gosh. I actually feel like Cinderella, kinda, except these are _way_ hotter than glass slippers." Then she turned towards Aemilia and broke into a huge smile. "Thank you," she said sincerely, pulling Aemilia into a hug.

"You're very welcome," Aemilia smiled, squeezing her back. "And just get used to it, because I plan on spoiling you whenever I feel like it."

Summer stared at her with slightly watery eyes, shaking her head. "You know, if I wasn't already married, I'm pretty sure I'd be madly in love with you." She paused. "Actually, I might be a little bit in love with you anyway. Is that bad?"

"Of course not," Aemilia grinned mischievously. "I mean, look at Lukas and Bucky - they're clearly more than a little bit in love and have been their entire lives. We just can't help these things, can we?"

Summer giggled, being instantly reminded of her little dream involving the four of them. "Well, when you put it that way..."

Aemilia smiled back and then glanced at the clock on her nightstand. "Oh dear. It's getting late. We need to get going."

"Okay," Summer said, taking a deep breath and slipping on the shoes. They wouldn't be fully comfortable until she broke them in, but damn if she didn't feel like an actual rockstar the minute she slipped them on. Once she did she grinned at Aemilia, then walked to the corner of her bedroom where a pretty antique full-length mirror sat. She looked over her full appearance, decked out in her hyper-glamorous dress and now the perfect heels to compliment it, the jewelry that Lizzie and Tony had bought her to go with the dress, and 40s style makeup to finish off the look, and suddenly she felt a little guilty. She was all dressed up and looking her absolute best in the dress that Bucky had bought her, but he wasn't around to see her.

But she could change that, at least to a degree. She stepped away from the mirror and grabbed her phone, and as Aemilia put on a pair of diamond earrings, Summer opened her camera app and held out the phone, taking a picture of herself from the chest up, wearing a big smile. She then sent it to Bucky before she could think twice, and Aemilia remarked, "Oh, you clever girl."

Summer smiled and shrugged, watching the picture send. "Well... I feel kinda bad because he wanted to see me in this dress when I wore it, but..."

"That would mean showing him the tattoo," Aemilia noted. "Are you still not ready for that?"

Summer hesitated, unsure of her honest answer to that. "I... really don't know. He seems to spook so easily... I don't know. If he won't kiss me still, it seems like the tattoo might be too much."

"Maybe not," Aemilia mused. "He might surprise you."

As Summer considered that, her phone buzzed in her hand. She quickly held it up and then burst into a smile when she read his answer to the photo. _Is that the dress?_

 _It might be_ , she replied coyly, smiling like an idiot. Aemilia noticed this and smirked, endlessly amused by her friend.

It took him a few moments to reply. As Summer waited, Aemilia said, "You realize that if he was here tonight and able to see you right now, absolutely nothing in the world would stop him from taking you to bed and ripping that dress off with his teeth, yes?"

Summer grinned and blushed. "You think so?"

"Darling," Aemilia chuckled, "the heels alone would do it for him."

As Summer blushed even more deeply, her phone finally buzzed again. _Bad girl_.

A shiver shot down her spine and the room suddenly felt unbearably hot. She hoped he wasn't genuinely angry or hurt, but in case he was, she replied, _I'm sorry. I just miss you and it's a way for me to feel like you're gonna be there with me tonight_.

"I'll be waiting in the car," Aemilia said, grinning knowingly as she picked up her clutch. "Don't take too long. Time's ticking."

"Okay," Summer smiled and nodded, sharing one more brief hug with Aemilia before she headed out of her room. Once she was left alone, she looked down and watched Bucky's text bubble load until a new message appeared.

 _Guess I'll have to think of a way for you to make it up to me_.

She let out a heavy sigh and replied, _Anything_.

It was a promise she most definitely planned on keeping. In the meantime, she checked her reflection one more time before dashing off and out of Aemilia's room, at last on her way to the big night downtown. She was nervous, of course, and a part of her couldn't wait for it to be over, but it was also exciting in a nerve-wracking way.

Hoping for the best but prepared for the worst, she got into the waiting limousine with Lukas and Aemilia and got on her way.

* * *

Two hours later, Bucky sat in the backseat of a cab, watching the New York City lights pass by outside the window. Having wrapped up his work in Trenton a full two days early - he was _that_ good at his job - he was back home and on his way to surprising his wife at her big party.

After only three full days away from her, he would have been lying if he said he hadn't missed her like crazy. Her teasing little text messages and cute pictures that she'd sent him had left him thinking about her near-constantly, and she was always in the back of his mind even while he'd been working. She was _more_ than under his skin, more than haunting him, and now that he knew she was in _that dress_ and completely unaware of his early return... he couldn't _fucking wait_ to get there and lay his eyes on her in the flesh.

When he arrived at the venue, a beautiful hotel ballroom in the heart of Manhattan, he stepped out of the cab and headed inside without fanfare. Nobody knew who he was and nobody cared, but he looked like he belonged anywhere he wanted to be.

Inside, the ballroom was filled with a sea of people and the decor was simple but elegant. He strolled through the crowd with his hands in his pockets, looking for Summer but not finding her just yet. He found the open bar first, and after grabbing a double whiskey, he resumed his search.

He turned a few heads along the way, and it didn't surprise him. Women looked at him with open interest and men glanced at him with curiosity, maybe wondering if he was someone famous or important and never having that question answered. He didn't make eye contact with any of them, focusing singularly instead on his mission and nothing else.

He heard her before he saw her. Familiar laughter rang out and tickled his ears, and he turned in the direction that he'd heard it. Whiskey secure in his hand, he stepped past a few more people and watched as a break appeared in the crowd ahead, and that was when he saw her.

She was talking to a group of three people, an older couple and what appeared to be their daughter, smiling radiantly and despite the anxiety that he _knew_ she was dealing with inside, she looked like the picture of ease and confidence. The dress fit her like a glove, clinging to her in all the right places and looking even better on her than he'd expected, and when his eyes trailed down to her shoes peeking out from just under the floor length skirt... _fucking hell_. His eyes moved slowly back up and took it all in, from the beautifully plunging neckline - _good God_ this woman had the most perfect breasts in existence, he was sure of it - to the vibrant red of the dress and how the diamonds it was covered in glittered under the warm ballroom lights. Then she moved just right to show off the thigh-high slit in the skirt, the line of her leg making his mouth water.

With her hair up and off of her neck, making her look as regal as she was tall and gorgeous, he couldn't help but think of how she looked absolutely like royalty. If he was a king, then he couldn't imagine a single other woman in the whole world who could ever look better ruling at his side.

Then, bringing his thoughts to a halt, someone came by and wanted to take a picture with her. Summer nodded and then turned, placing her back to his view, and as she posed with the family, Bucky let his eyes feast upon the sight that the backless dress provided. He started at the small of her back and slowly dragged his gaze up along her spine, wanting to kiss every dip and every line and every inch of that perfect skin, completely unmarred except for...

He furrowed his brows and took a few steps forward, his eyes glued to the back of her left shoulder. At first, he thought that he was seeing things. But upon closer inspection - still from a distance - he realized that what he was seeing was very real. There were two words inked on her back, and they weren't in English. His heart suddenly racing in his chest, he realized with no small amount of shock that she had tattooed his codename on her body. He had no idea how long she'd had it but whatever the case was, _she had it_ and she was displaying it tonight without shame, wearing his name like a mark that would leave zero room for doubt as to who she belonged to.

It wasn't easy to make him lose his breath, but _this_ left his lungs aching for oxygen that wouldn't come. He stood there and stared in shock for far longer than he realized, his brain short-circuiting and rebooting several times as she was pulled into conversation with a few other guests, completely unaware of his presence.

It took him awhile to realize why he was suddenly on the verge of crying out of seemingly nowhere. He was baffled until it hit him like a runaway train, knocking the wind out of him all over again.

It was _acceptance_. She hadn't tattooed his given name on her skin. She hadn't chosen a Bratva-related star or symbol to illustrate whose protection she was under. No, she'd tattooed his code name on her body in Russian. She was married to not only James Barnes but also to the Winter Soldier, and by extension to his crimes and sins and all of the things that had made his first love run for her life. And rather than try to hide that or distance herself from it, there she was in the middle of her glitzy benefit in the middle of Manhattan, schmoozing with wealthy donors and displaying that name like it was something to be proud of.

He couldn't believe that she was doing such a thing only for self-preservation purposes. That surely played a role in it and in her having the tattoo in the first place, but there was more to it than that. She accepted him for who he was, the good and the bad and the worse, and she wasn't afraid to show it.

And in that moment, he realized he'd burn the whole world to the ground for that woman if she would only ask. Everything he was and everything he had, his kingdom and his legacy and his purpose - she could have it all. Maybe all of that was already hers and he had only just realized it.

Heart swollen with more love than he thought it could ever contain, he set his untouched drink on a passing busser's tray and then began to walk her way. He was acting on instinct, and he didn't think twice about interrupting her conversation with some old lady wearing fur and entirely too much makeup.

He approached her from behind without a sound, reaching out and dragging two fingertips along the two words inked on her shoulder. He watched and felt her tense and shiver in surprise, and then he let his fingers drop and he took his place at her side, her head turning and their eyes locking in an instant.

The pure shock on her face was exactly what he'd expected. His expression as he stared back at her was dark and utterly intense, and her mouth fell open as she gaped at him and floundered for words.

She blinked rapidly and stared, ignoring the others present as she murmured quietly, " _You're here."_ Then she broke out into a nervous smile and half-exclaimed, "Oh my God, you're here!"

He grinned and then she launched herself into his arms, clearly not caring what anyone thought of her for doing so. He held her tight and kissed the side of her head, careful not to rumple her hair, and when she drew away she asked, "How - you weren't supposed to be back for another two days!"

"Finished early," he explained. "Thought I'd come and surprise you."

"Well," she blushed, "I am definitely surprised."

He nodded, gaze briefly flitting to her shoulder. "Yeah. Me too."

She blushed even more brightly and didn't seem to know quite what to say to that. He wondered how long she'd been keeping that tattoo under wraps and hidden from him, and suddenly her reluctance to be naked in his presence made a lot more sense.

After the moment of silence hung between them, a few others came by and started chatting Summer up, briefly stealing her attention. He knew that would happen, and that he wasn't gonna get any answers out of her there. That was all right. Instead, he stayed by her side and played the part of the supportive, proud husband as she went back to doing her job, and he didn't have to fake his sincerity at all. He _was_ proud of her, and absolutely wrapped around her little finger.

And there was nowhere else in the world that he'd rather be.

* * *

The cat was officially out of the bag. Bucky had seen the tattoo - and touched it too, running his fingers over it lovingly and sweetly - and Summer was about to freak the frick out.

Except she couldn't, because she still had to do her job despite her inner flailing. She could still hardly believe that he was actually there, standing right next to her and smiling with her as she made the obligatory rounds with her guests, as if they did this sort of thing all the time. And to make it even more mind-blowing, he looked so good she had to actively fight the urge to drool all over him.

He was wearing an all-black perfectly tailored suit - black everything, including the tie - and his hair was down and combed back and out of his face, which had just the right amount of scruff upon it to compliment the overall look and make him look even more mouth-watering. She'd seen him all dressed up before, plenty of times, but this time... _holy crap_.

About fifteen minutes after he had shown up and rocked her entire world, Lukas and Aemilia caught up with them and expressed their own shock at his arrival. He'd kept his surprise a secret from even them, and as he and Lukas chatted about the merger briefly, Aemilia looked at Summer in mild alarm, gesturing extremely subtly to her shoulder with a wordless question in her eyes. Summer gave Aemilia a small nod, and Aemilia's eyes widened in excitement.

For as unexpected as the night had turned out to be, it was far from over just yet. When the party had more than reached its stride and Summer's spirits were soaring, Bucky grabbed her a flute of champagne while Lukas and Aemilia made their way to the stage. Summer thanked Bucky quietly and downed nearly the entire flute all at once, hoping it would calm her pleasantly frazzled nerves, and then the crowd fell silent as their attention turned to the couple on the stage.

There was a piano sitting on that stage, and Lukas walked to it and sat down behind it comfortably as Aemilia stepped up to the microphone and smiled upon the crowd. They looked like a dream, Aemilia in her stunning dress and Lukas in an equally beuatiful emerald green suit jacket and black shirt, every bit looking the part of the power couple they were.

"Hello, everyone," Aemilia said sweetly, eyes sweeping along the guests. "What a night this has been so far. Thank you all so much for coming - each and every one of you - and for making this night such a success. _Wow_. A lot of people contributed an incredible amount of time and energy into this benefit to make it happen, but none more so than my very own Director of Corporate Events - a woman I'm proud to say has become one of my closest friends, someone who is beautiful both on the inside and out - Summer Barnes, thank you not only for all of your hard work and dedication, but also for your friendship. You are absolutely irreplaceable."

As Summer's heart nearly burst at the seams in response to those words, Bucky leaned in close to her and murmured, "She's right."

Summer looked up at him and smiled. He grinned back, her skin still prickling at his proximity and the fact that he was _there_.

"And now," Aemilia went on, "if you lovely folks will indulge us... my husband and I thought we'd lend our lesser known talents to this very worthy cause. This song is one of my favorites, and... hopefully we'll do it justice."

Aemilia smiled and glanced back at Lukas, who smiled back affectionately and then turned his attention to the piano, fingers setting to the keys with a practiced ease. Summer knew that he was skilled with the instrument, but she was seeing it in person now for the first time and he was utterly flawless. Then, just after giving Summer a coy little look that made her wonder if the song choice was quite deliberate, Aemilia began to sing, and Summer - and the rest of the ballroom - watched and listened in rapt attention.

 _It's not the pale moon that excites me_

 _That thrills and delights me, oh no_

 _It's just the nearness of you_

 _Feeling_ those words on a level that was almost bewildering, Summer let out a shaky breath and then lost it entirely when Bucky's hand slipped into hers and tugged her closer to him. Her eyes flew to his and he murmured, "Dance with me."

In an instant, her heart was racing. They'd never danced before, let alone in front of a very full room while their best friends serenaded the crowd, but she couldn't have said no to him even if she'd wanted to. Other couples around them were already dancing - including a few familiar ones, like Frieda and Pietro, and a particularly eagle-eyed Lizzie and Tony - and Summer let him pull her close as she took a breath, trying to remain steady on her feet.

His eyes locked with hers, he placed a hand on the small of her back and pulled her impossibly close against his chest. She instinctively placed her free hand on his shoulder, her other one cradled in his own, and then they were dancing - slowly, carefully, and closely enough to make her very soul ache with want.

 _It isn't your sweet conversation_

 _That brings this sensation, oh no_

 _It's just the nearness of you_

She wondered how long it had been since he'd last danced with a woman. For her part, she'd never danced like _this_ with any man ever.

She shivered when his hand on her back briefly slid up her skin, making goosebumps erupt along every inch that he touched. Then he traced the words of her tattoo again and asked lowly, "How long have you had this?"

She inhaled a too-heavy breath and replied, "Months."

His jaw clenched, and his fingers trailed back down to her lower back. " _Months_?"

She nodded. "I just... I didn't know how you'd react or... if you'd be mad or uncomfortable or..."

He pulled her even closer, almost laughing at such a preposterous idea. "Trust me, sweetheart," he murmured, voice thick with emotions she she wasn't quite sure of, "that's the _last_ thing you gotta worry about."

 _When you're in my arms and I feel you so close to me_

 _All my wildest dreams come true_

She smiled but didn't reply, instead falling into their slow, easy rhythm and losing herself to the sweet, wholly unexpected moment. Her remark to Aemilia earlier about feeling like Cinderella was doubly true now, and looking up into Bucky's eyes and seeing him staring back at her with such clear affection and desire and maybe even something a little deeper made her feel almost like she was drunk.

And he didn't look away. He maintained that eye contact as he danced her languidly around the room, neither of them paying any mind to the considerable amount of people watching them, only to each other and the music and lyrics guiding their steps and maybe even their hearts.

Slowly but surely, she could see and _feel_ him growing ever closer to her. He only broke eye contact to glance down at her lips for a short moment, and when he looked back up, he didn't move away like she expected him to. Her lips were parted slightly and so were his, but she knew he'd pull away at the last minute. He always did.

 _I need no soft lights to enchant me_

 _If you'll only grant me the right_

 _To hold you ever so tight_

 _And to feel in the night the nearness of you_

There was a war raging inside of him, but not the kind that he'd been fighting and usually losing most of his life. This was something new and something intoxicating, and he could feel it - the walls he'd built so carefully, the same ones that she had been faithfully chipping away at for so long, now crumbling from within as if they were made of straw. He felt it and he couldn't stop it, and for the first time... he didn't _want_ to.

He couldn't stand it any longer. Every inch of his body and soul _screaming_ and seizing control away from the fear that had held him prisoner for so long, he closed his eyes and leaned in, trembling and barely breathing but _needing_ and no longer able to deny himself.

Summer's feet stopped moving, and so did the earth. Her own eyes falling shut as shock washed over her every nerve ending, her husband's lips touched hers for the first time.

On the stage, Aemilia watched it happen and somehow didn't faint with shock. She did, however, subtly saunter closer to Lukas and hurriedly tap his shoulder, and he looked up just in time to see for himself what was happening, without missing a single note. Then he and Aemilia shared a subtle look of sheer pride and joy - and a mental high five.

Summer, meanwhile, was as close to heaven as she'd ever been in her life. The kiss was gentle, tentative, but seemingly over before it could really begin, and she opened her eyes when she felt his lips drift from hers. She found his own eyes still closed, and then his hand left her lower back to cradle her cheek as he kissed her again, this time a lot less timidly. His lips moved softly and determinedly against hers, and her free hand drifted up and behind his neck to his hair, and she had never felt so overwhelmed and overcome and _happy_ in her life.

For every time he had let her in a little bit and opened up to her and every new intimacy they'd shared, all of it had left her aching for something more, something that she needed and he hadn't been ready to give her. She would have waited for him forever, she thought, because he was a man who was more than worth waiting for. But now here they were, standing still in the middle of a ballroom full of other dancing couples, lost in a kiss that left them both feeling weak, strong, and completely vulnerable all at once.

When they broke apart from one another, it was only because they needed to breathe. Their eyes opened and Summer gazed up dreamily at Bucky, who was flushed and breathing shakily, staring at her like she held his heart and soul in her hands.

She didn't know what to say or do, but she had to say _something_. "Bucky, I..."

"I love you," he interrupted breathlessly, his voice barely sounding like his own. His eyes were shining and his cheeks flushed and he looked so unlike himself, younger somehow, like maybe the man he had once been before life had robbed him of his innocence. And his words completely shocked the already-reeling Summer.

She stared at him with wide, disbelieving eyes and a mouth hanging slightly agape. Were her ears deceiving her? Was this all an elaborate hallucination and he was actually still in Jersey and she had been drugged and her brain was dreaming all of this up because -

"I'm done acting like I don't," he added, still cradling her face with one hand and her body in the other, holding her like she was precious and breakable. "You don't have to say it back, but -"

"No, I do," she blurted out, both hands in his hair now and her heart all but bursting with emotion that he had unknowingly blown the lid off of. She smiled and told him with full sincerity and tears embarrassingly trying to crawl their way to the surface, "I love you too. I've been in love with you since - _forever_ , I think. I don't know when it started but I just... I've been keeping it all in 'cause I didn't want to scare you, but if I'd known -"

He hushed her with another kiss, this time one that made her almost moan and melt into him. She wasn't sure if she'd ever get used to this, of kissing him and being kissed by him, let alone him openly expressing his _love_ for her. As much as she'd ached for this, now that it was here... she only wanted him more. She _needed_ him, in every way imaginable, and the fact that they were at a benefit and couldn't go run home and lock themselves away nearly caused her physical pain.

Then, as they pulled away, Lukas and Aemilia's song finally drew to a close. The crowd began to cheer, and Summer and Bucky came back to reality enough to turn back towards the stage and clap for their best friends. Summer, her face as red as a strawberry, looked up at Aemilia and smiled like an idiot as she applauded enthusiastically. Aemilia grinned back at them both, looking unbearably excited, and Lukas at her side shot them both a wink and looked just as pleased.

Then, as Aemilia and Lukas made their way off the stage, Bucky slid his arm around Summer's waist and leaned in close to murmur directly and heatedly in her ear, "I'm taking you home tonight, when this is over. Then I'm gonna take you to bed, and from tonight on... I want you in my bed every night."

Heart racing all over again, Summer couldn't suppress the shiver that shot down her spine. He pulled away and she looked up at him in a lust and love-dazed stupor, and then he laid one more little sweet kiss on her lips before slipping away into the crowd.

... She needed the benefit over with _right fricking then._

* * *

The rest of the event felt like it lasted approximately six thousand years. In reality, it was only another hour or so.

Lukas followed Bucky to the bar and grilled him like a prosecutor working the trial of the century, and Bucky didn't mind one bit. He was smiling like a fool in love and he was high on all of it, feeling better and lighter than he had in years. Lukas could have tracked Summer down and given her the biggest and most enthusiastic hug and kiss of her life for making his closest friend so happy, but Aemilia had already taken care of that for him.

After freaking out with Aemilia for a solid five minutes, Lizzie joined in on the flailing party and nearly squeezed the life out of her daughter. For all of the concerns that Lizzie had recently had about them, _this_ was what she'd always hoped for when it came to them - a mutual give and take, and knowing that Summer wasn't compromising herself in exchange for taking what Bucky would give her. And how could she possibly argue with _anything_ that made Summer so incredibly happy?

Summer simply counted the very minutes until the guests would start going home. Every so often her eyes would connect with Bucky's from across the ballroom, and she would feel like she'd been hit by a train every single time. She shivered at the thought of what might lay ahead for them that night - and every other future night, like he'd said - and she was extremely glad that she had decided to wear some of her new lingerie bought with Aemilia's Christmas gift card underneath her dress. She certainly hadn't worn it with Bucky in mind - sometimes she just liked to make herself feel pretty, and lingerie was an instant confidence booster - but what a happy coincidence that had turned out to be.

Eventually, after what felt like an eternity had passed, the benefit finally came to a close. Summer helped to oversee the departure of the guests and, once the last group of them made their way out, Aemilia asked her as they stood near the doors, "So, are you ready for your big night?"

Summer smiled nervously and shifted on her feet. "Oh God. You know, we've been doing... things... for awhile now, so I shouldn't be nervous but _frick_ I am."

"When was the last time you actually had sex?" Aemilia asked, quiet enough to where nobody could hear.

Summer paused. "... The night before Scott got his sentence handed down?"

Aemilia's eyes widened. "More than two years ago? Just about _three_ years ago? Good God, woman."

Summer smiled and shrugged. "Well, when you're as picky as I am and you don't do casual... that's not that outrageous of a time gap."

"I know, and I completely respect that," Aemilia nodded. Then she winked and added, "But it looks like that gap is about to be closed for good."

Summer bit her lip. " _Ugh_. You know, it wouldn't be so bad if I didn't know him and Natasha had been sleeping together for _years_. Like, she is... _oh my God_ and she's probably insane in bed. And I'm just..."

"You're just the woman he's fallen in love with," Aemilia pointed out with a smile. "That gives you a clear advantage, you know. Besides, he's already given far more of himself to you than he ever gave to her. I daresay that she and every other woman in the world is the _last_ thing on his mind."

Summer blushed, smiling and then waving at a couple as they walked out the doors. "I still can't believe he actually kissed me and actually said I love you. I'm expecting to wake up any minute and find out none of it's real."

Aemilia glanced to her left and noticed Bucky and Lukas making their way over, and she assumed this meant that Bucky was ready to take Summer home. Keeping this in mind, she turned back to Summer and said, "Well, I couldn't be happier for you. Have fun tonight and try not to think too much. And I expect to hear all about it tomorrow."

"Oh for sure," Summer giggled. Then, to her surprise, Bucky was suddenly right behind her and sliding his arm around her waist. Her reaction was immediate, her cheeks flushing and eyes flying to his as he tightened his grip on her possessively.

"Ready?" he asked, clearly more than ready to leave and really get their night started.

As Lukas stood by Aemilia, Summer looked at them both and hesitated. "Uh..."

"Go," Aemilia grinned. "Everything is perfectly under control here."

"Yes," Lukas agreed. "Now, should we discuss the birds and the bees first? I don't mind giving a few words of advice to either of you, if you need it."

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Think we're good, Lukas."

"Are you sure?" Lukas asked, feigning concern while the girls giggled. "Should Aemilia and I perhaps demonstrate for you first? Summer here got a bit of a sneak peek of that recently, but if need be we can go much more in depth and cover all the -"

Aemilia playfully covered his mouth and laughed, "Just go, before he gets on a roll!"

Summer giggled and Bucky grinned at them both, whisking her away as Summer squeaked, "Bye! Thank you guys for everything!"

"Have fun!" Aemilia smiled.

"Try not to demolish the entire manor before we get back!" Lukas added as the other couple disappeared from view, Bucky steering Summer to the limo waiting for them.

Aemilia sighed and laid her head on Lukas' shoulder. "I feel bizarrely like a proud parent right now. Look at our sweet little babies, all grown up."

"All grown up and ready to fuck each other senseless," Lukas added, making Aemilia giggle.

"This is the first time he's kissed a woman in what, 12 or 13 years?" Aemilia mused. "And she hasn't slept with a man in 3. They may not survive this night."

"At least that would be quite a pleasant way to go," Lukas shrugged, holding her close. "You know, all of this lovey-dovey stuff has me in a rather... _celebratory_ mood."

Aemilia smirked and peered up at him. "Does it? Do tell me more, darling."

"Why would I tell you," he purred, stealing a quick and sweet little kiss, "when I know of at least three empty rooms I can take you into and show you instead?"

* * *

Nestled safely in the backseat of the limo, Summer watched Bucky slide in next to her and close his door. A smile crept up on her face and he only had to grin back at her for all of two seconds before Sam declared from the front passenger seat, "All right, I'm just gonna preemptively roll up this partition."

Bucky briefly glanced his way and chucked, "Thanks."

"It's purely self-motivated, trust me," Sam replied as the divider slid up and locked into place. Now alone for all intents and purposes, a fresh wave of butterflies erupted in Summer's belly as Bucky refocused his attention on her. He didn't say anything at first, instead just admiring her and letting his eyes drift from her face down her body on a slow trail that ended with the shoes on her feet and then began all over again.

By the time his eyes met hers again, her cheeks were a pretty light pink and she said, "So..."

Angled towards her, he grinned in amusement. "Hmm?"

She smiled and giggled nervously, looking away. "I'm sorry, I'm just waiting for this limo to turn into a pumpkin."

"I think you're safe there," he told her softly, reaching out and taking her left hand in his right. She watched his eyes fall to their fingers and the big, cumbersome diamond on her ring finger, and something that might have been regret colored his expression. She understood, even if she didn't know exactly what was going through his mind. He hadn't given her that ring, and she had received it back when they'd first met and he refused to say more than two words to her. She had been so incredibly, horrifically scared back then, and he had been cold and mean everything he wasn't now. Their journey to where they currently stood with each other was more of an odyssey, and while it hadn't been easy at any single point... she would have done it all again in a heartbeat.

Her butterflies increased exponentially when he then lifted her hand to his lips, pressing his lips softly just below her knuckles. It could have been an apology, a promise, or maybe just an incredible sweet gesture by a man who loved her, but whatever it was, it made her melt inside several times over. Then he opened his eyes and let them lock with hers, so much still unsaid and unknown, but none of that mattered at that moment. She slipped her hand out of his and touched his cheek, and his gaze darkened just before something snapped between them and they were kissing again.

It was surreal, finally having his lips on hers like that, as if it was where they had always belonged. Now that they were alone and not surrounded by an entire ballroom full of people, he let himself kiss her how he really wanted to - desperately, mindlessly, like he'd never tasted anything so sweet in his life and feared that tomorrow might never come to let him have it one more time. His hands were everywhere, in her hair and messing it up badly, on her back and down her legs, and nobody had ever made her feel the way that he was in those moments - as if she was not only wanted but _needed,_ on a level that she could barely fathom.

When they broke for air the first time, he pressed his forehead to hers and kept his eyes closed, breathing hard as she gazed at him in sheer wonder. She said his name breathlessly, barely a whisper, and he opened his eyes just before she smiled and asked, "Do you really love me?"

"Sweetheart," he murmured, sweeping the pad of his thumb along her cheekbone, "I love you so much it fucking terrifies me."

Her heart pounding, she let out a shaky breath and searched his eyes, seeing nothing but truth and vulnerability there. "Why?"

"Because," he muttered, eyes growing a little shiny, "if you ever leave, I'll just..."

Having not expected _that_ at all, Summer's eyes widened and she shook her head, cradling his face with both hands and telling him, "I'm not going anywhere. _I'm not_. Don't you know that by now? I could have left and I didn't. I stayed because of _you_."

"I don't deserve you," he replied softly, shaking his head slightly.

"You don't deserve to be alone," she told him sincerely. "You deserve to be happy and loved. And _I love you_."

He smiled, glancing down at her lips just before he leaned in and captured them again. They didn't speak anymore after that, instead filling the rest of the car ride home with more kisses and heavy, uneven breaths, barely keeping their clothes on as the heat between them grew to new heights with every touch.

By some miracle, they managed to make it home without having each other in the backseat. But once he had dragged her up to his room... all bets were off.

* * *

Summer barely had a chance to breathe before Bucky spun her around gently and pushed her face-first against his closed bedroom door. She smiled to herself and placed both palms on the door, recalling how their first little encounter had begun in that very same place in the very same position. This, however, was going to turn out much differently than that time had.

He groaned and pressed his lips to the back of her neck, kissing down slowly and sensually until he reached her tattoo. His hands settled on her hips and he clutched them tight as his lips slipped over the inked words, murmuring against her skin, "Who do you belong to?"

She whimpered and pressed her forehead to the door. " _You_."

He growled and bit her in response. She yelped and almost came apart at the seams untouched.

"Mine," his voice rumbled between her shoulder blades as his hands reached up to the straps of her dress. " _All fucking mine_ ," he added, gently pulling the dress down from her shoulders and carefully tugging it down her body. It slipped past her hips and then pooled on the floor around her feet, and he drew back just far enough to look her over as he turned her around to face him. And what he saw was entirely too much to handle.

She was completely bare on top, which he expected, but he didn't expect the black garter and hose, paired with incredibly skimpy lace black panties that barely served any purpose at all. Then along with her sky high silver heels...

"Fucking _hell, baby_ ," he all but moaned, staring at the delicious sight of her body until she reached up into her hair to take it down. She was blushing and biting her lip, avoiding his eyes, and the minute that her long raven locks tumbled down her back and shoulders, he pushed her back against the door and said, "You're the hottest fucking thing I've ever seen, you know that?"

She barely had time to lose her breath before his mouth was ravaging hers again. He was still fully dressed in his black suit and something about that fact aroused her even more, especially once he picked her up and her legs wrapped around his waist, his body pinning her to the door and his hands on the curve of her ass.

" _God_ I want you," he confessed breathlessly after he broke away, rocking against her like he couldn't help himself. "Want you in every way fucking possible."

She moaned at that, those words sending off a storm of unspeakable thoughts in her head, each one as scandalous as the next. She didn't even notice she'd closed her eyes until he nudged her chin and issued a gentle command.

" _Look at me_."

Her eyes flew up to his.

Suddenly he looked a little cautious, maybe even unsure. "You want this, right?"

... She was so flabbergasted that he had even a shred of a doubt as to that fact that she actually giggled a little bit. "Oh my God, yes. _Yes_. Yes, yes, yes."

He grinned at her response and nodded, briefly stealing another kiss. "Good. Just check in with me, okay? You get so quiet... you gotta use your words sometimes, let me know you're still with me."

"Oh," she nodded. "Okay. Sorry."

"Don't be," he smirked, gently easing her back down to her feet and smoothing his hands over her hips. "You just... you make me wanna do things I've never done before," he admitted, nose brushing against hers. "Don't wanna get carried away or end up hurting you."

"You won't," she assured him, gazing up earnestly into his eyes. Then, out of nowhere, an idea struck her. "We can do the traffic light thing."

He furrowed his brows. "The what?"

"Red for stop, yellow for slow down, green to go," she blushed, smiling. "If you ever start to worry you can ask me for a color. Not that you'll ever have to stop because... I'm pretty sure I'd let you do anything to me."

He thought that over for a moment. "I like that idea. Okay." Then his expression turned into something much darker. " _Anything_?"

"... Yeah," she smiled, looking away from him and trying not to squirm. It was the truth, and there was no sense in hiding it.

"You're gonna fucking kill me," he groaned before stepping away from her entirely, which was not what she'd expected. She then watched him walk back to his bed and sit down on the edge of it, spreading his legs wide and then patting his thigh. "Come sit on my lap."

... _Mother of God_. Her hidden inner Daddy kink absolutely running wild with that, Summer tried not to trip over her own feet as she walked to him. She also felt a little bit shy suddenly, topless as she was and clad in revealing lingerie, but she tried not to let it show and drew confidence from the hungry way that he watched her as she approached him.

Then she climbed on his lap and straddled him, hands going to his shoulders but making no move to undress him just yet. He pulled her down for a hungry, almost sloppy kiss, his hands groping her breasts and roaming her entire body, and if she ended up surviving this night at all, it was gonna be a miracle.

He made her squeak in surprise against his mouth when his right hand snuck between her legs, fingers teasing her through her panties as he pulled away and noted with delight, "Fucking drenched, aren't you?"

She merely moaned and then moaned again more loudly when he dropped his head and turned his attention to her breasts as his fingers slipped inside of her panties. He hadn't even taken off his suit jacket yet and she couldn't find it in herself to care, too busy trying not to ride his hand wantonly and let it show just how desperate she was to let go. But with his mouth worshipping her breasts and skilled fingers doing what they did best, it was all in vain and she grew embarrassingly loud and erratic when she felt herself reaching her peak in what had to have been record time.

But before she could experience that sweet release, he pulled the rug out from under her and had her on her back in his bed before she could so much as blink. His mouth and fingers were gone and she stared up at him in bewilderment, but all he did was grin down at her lazily. He took her hands and placed her arms over her head, draping then over her pillow, and then he told her, "Just lay back and spread your legs for me, baby."

She whimpered and her entire body blushed. He saw it as he watched her open her legs a little bit but not quite enough for him to settle comfortably between them, so he gave one of her inner thighs a tap and said, "Come on, nice and wide. Show me what I've been thinking about while I was gone."

 _That_ got her attention. Following his orders and letting her legs relax and fall open like he wanted, she muttered, "You..."

" _Fuck yeah_ I did," he chuckled, pressing a kiss just above her belly button. "How else do you think I passed the time in my hotel room?"

She groaned and covered her face with her hands, surprised that her brain wasn't melting out of her ears. "Oh my God."

He kept kissing down, down, _down_ , until his lips were on her inner thighs and kissing hotly up each one until he'd reached his destination. Enjoying the view of her lingerie entirely too much, he simply pulled her panties to the side and, eyes on her bare flesh, murmured, "Nothing like the real thing though."

Then his mouth was on her and she was melting into the bed, eyes closing and body surrendering to him entirely. He was so, _so_ good at what he was doing and he knew it, and he didn't mind it at all when her thighs wrapped around his head and refused to let him budge. He liked that, in fact, and he happily drowned in her while she moaned up to the ceiling and slowly lost her mind. The fact that he was still in his suit while doing this to her made her head spin, and the very idea that this could be something she'd get to have every single day if she wished from here on out... _what a life_.

Just like she knew he would, he didn't stop until he made her see stars. His hands slid up her body to play with her breasts as she teetered on the edge, and all it took was opening her eyes long enough to peek down and see the sight that they made to fall apart. She didn't care about who might hear or what she sounded like, far too caught up and completely overwhelmed to give a single damn.

And once it was over and she was breathing hard, feeling like she was floating and no longer on solid ground, Bucky gently eased her legs back down to the bed and gazed upon her, extremely pleased with his work. Her arms were still over her head, and he loved how obedient she was and the fact that she'd actually kept them there the entire time, like he'd said. He sighed and dropped a parting kiss to her inner thigh, then rose to his knees and began undressing her the rest of the way.

Her shoes were, regrettably to him, the first to go. She watched him through heavy-lidded eyes as he took off the first one and then the second, carefully setting them next to the bed on the floor. She wondered why he did that - maybe he knew just how expensive they were, or perhaps he liked her in them so much that he wanted to make sure they stayed in good condition. Whatever the reason, they were quickly forgotten as he then moved on to her garter belt, carefully pulling the little straps free from her stockings. He was so gentle and careful, and she liked that a lot. She had no doubt that he would be rough and rip things to shreds given the right situation, but this was different and she was glad for it.

He pulled the garter belt from her body first, then her hose, one by one from each leg. Once those were out of the way, he slowly rid her of her panties, the very last piece of clothing on her body. He looked her in the eye as he tugged them off, and she smiled back dreamily and asked, "Are you gonna be in that suit all night?"

He smirked and tossed her panties on the floor. "Do you want me to be?"

She shook her head with enthusiasm. He grinned and eased off of the bed, and she watched him as he turned around and shrugged off his jacket.

How he was seemingly so patient, she couldn't even begin to understand. He laid his suit jacket on the side of a chair, and then after that came his tie and shirt, all removed and laid aside as if he wasn't going mad with need. And she knew that he was - she had felt it and seen it in his eyes.

What she didn't know was that he was actively trying to calm himself down and keep himself in check. He wanted to do everything under the sun to her and spend all night doing it, but this was their first time and he wanted it to be special. It had been ages since sex had actually meant something to him and involved real emotions, and he wanted - _needed_ \- to do this right. She deserved that much and infinitely more, and while he didn't really know how to do it... he hoped that he'd give her a night even halfway worthy of a woman like her.

"Hey," she said softly when his hands had moved to his belt, catching his attention. He turned to find her sitting up in the bed, her long hair already messy and covering her breasts as she smiled, "Can I do this part?"

He grinned and walked over to her as she let her legs dangle off the side of the bed. He stood between them and she looked up at him with her big, still-shy blue eyes as his hands went to her hair and began slowly sweeping it aside. She started working on his belt, her fingers a little shaky but not overly so, and it wasn't long before she had it undone and was pushing his pants down just far enough down his thighs to let her get to what she wanted. Somehow, she wasn't surprised that he wasn't wearing anything else underneath.

He was painfully hard, just the slightest and softest touch of her hand making his jaw clench and body tense. She looked up at him and smiled demurely, lazily but firmly stroking him as she leaned in and pressed a deceptively innocent little kiss to his tip. Her tongue followed, instinct guiding her every teasing movement, and his hand in her hair tightened as he gritted out, "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are like this?"

She smiled to herself and blushed, not trusting herself to look up at him in that moment. Instead she slowly sucked him into her mouth, and his responding grown and curse made her entire body shiver.

She had a tendency to get lost in this particular act, letting herself stop thinking and simply just _go_ , barely paying attention to anything else happening around her. She liked it and she didn't have any shame in it, but this time Bucky didn't quite let her drift off the way that she normally did.

"You're so good at this," he said, voice heavy and rough with pleasure as he watched her, hand still buried in her hair but not guiding her. He didn't need to. "So fucking good, baby. You like it, don't you?"

Since she couldn't exactly talk or nod in her current state, she moaned in affirmation instead. His words of praise made her want to purr like a cat, and she couldn't believe how much she loved it. Praise kink, indeed.

"Bet you can take me all the way in, can't you?" he mused, licking his lips and trying not to shudder at the thought. "Let me hit the back of that pretty throat... show me, Summer."

She whimpered a little brokenly and dropped her hand, holding on with both hands to his hips as she relaxed her throat and did her very best obey him. He wasn't small and it wasn't exactly easy, but when she did it and he moaned and cursed in delight before proceeding to shower her with praise and words she'd be replaying in her head for days... it was more than worth the effort.

Then, all too soon, he pulled away and her mouth was suddenly empty. She gasped a little and looked up at him in mild confusion before he dropped a knee on the bed and laid her back down within it, crawling on top of her after he shed his pants and left no more clothes between them to get in the way. Then he was kissing her and everything was perfect, from his weight on top of her to the way that his hair fell and tickled her cheeks.

He kissed her long and deep, relearning how to make a woman writhe and pant just from kissing alone. It had been a long, _long_ time, but he was ready to spend as much time as it took to learn what made his wife tick and how to thoroughly ravage her mouth with his own. It still felt strangely foreign to kiss her like that, to have that connection with another person that he'd denied himself for so long, but it left him feeling more high and alive than he had felt in years.

And Summer couldn't get enough. Every time he broke away to breathe she'd pull him right back down, as if she still feared the spell breaking and everything going back as it had been. She kissed him madly still when he rolled them over and placed her on top, her hair a curtain around them as their bodies slid and moved together, only teasing at first. Then when her lungs burning forced her to break away, she smiled down at her husband and he grinned back at her, reaching up and brushing her hair behind her ears.

"Can you say it again?" he asked rather than ordered, his tone quiet and words perfectly clear. She knew just what he meant.

"I love you," she smiled, leaning down and kissing him again. Then she looked him in the eye and brushed aside a stray lock of hair from his forehead, adding, "I love you _so much_."

The smile that those words brought to his face was the sweetest thing she'd ever seen in her life. It might take him time to feel worthy of her love or fully trust that she wouldn't come to her senses and leave him one day, but until he did, she'd tell him every day how much she loved him and leave no room for doubt there.

Then he rolled them over, pinning her down playfully - _playfully_ \- and still smiling as he kissed her again and murmured, "Don't think I'll ever get used to that."

"Me neither," she smiled back, her breath hitching when he reached down and slung her leg over his hip. She could feel him pressed against her - _all of him_ \- and she wanted him as badly as he needed her.

"Ready?" he asked, sliding into position and holding himself up on one arm while the other cradled her face.

She nodded quickly, though she added quietly, "It's been awhile. Just -"

"I'll go slow," he assured her, living up to his promise and stealing another kiss as he began to languidly and carefully press inside of her.

She closed her eyes and consciously relaxed her body, letting out a deep sigh and breathing in and out with every inch he went deeper. The first time in a long time was always tricky at first, and this time was no exception. By the time that he was fully seated, he held himself completely still to give her time to adjust, and she opened her eyes just in time to see the sheer torture on his face.

His cheeks were flushed, eyes screwed shut and mouth open, and at first glance one might have thought that he was in pain. But he wasn't, and that became very clear when he dropped his forehead against hers and moaned, "How _the fuck_ are you this _fucking tight_."

She giggled and ran her fingers soothingly through his hair. "Sorry."

He shook his head, biting his lip and telling her, "No, _fuck_. Just trying to last longer than five seconds."

"Oh," she blushed. He opened his eyes and grinned down at her, strain still evident in his features, and she gave him a small smile as he leaned down and kissed her long and slow. It was absolutely perfect, the way that his lips pressed against hers and the sometimes teasing and sometimes consuming ways that his tongue played with hers making her squirm and ache for more. She rolled her hips up, taking him in even deeper, and he broke the kiss with a moan that set her skin on fire. Then his eyes locked with hers and he started moving, painstakingly slowly to keep himself under control and make sure he didn't hurt her.

It was torment of the sweetest kind. She matched his slow, careful rhythm until she didn't need him to be careful anymore. Her hands buried in his hair and her lips a breath from his own, she murmured breathlessly, " _Faster_." He groaned and didn't hesitate to comply, letting some of that already-tenuous self control slip as he let himself pick up the pace.

For all of Summer's fantasies that had revolved around this and how it would feel for him to be inside of her for the first time, none of it compared to the real thing. He was neither small nor uncomfortably large, instead fitting her and filling her up in a way that only left her wanting more with every thrust. As talkative as he was in the heat of the moment, he was silent now save for his heavy breaths and occasional deep groans, every bit of his focus placed upon her and making love to her the way that he knew she deserved. He played around with different angles, watching her reactions carefully, and it wasn't until he lifted her up with his free hand underneath her on lower back that she gasped and shuddered, and he knew that he'd found the right spot.

He drove into her over and over, watching her slowly lose her mind and tremble with pleasure, and he was overcome with emotion that he couldn't even fully comprehend in those overwhelming moments. He wanted to make her his own forever, drive out every memory she had of other men from her mind and obliterate them, make her writhe and scream and crave no touch but his for the rest of her life. He wanted to possess her but not as a trophy or an object to be controlled - she'd never be anything like that. _No_ , she was a goddess that he would never deserve but would spend the rest of his trying to be worthy of, if she would let him.

Then, as they both grew dangerously close to the edge, he started kissing down her neck and she pulled his hair in sheer bliss. He groaned in pleasure and bit down on her skin, making her yelp softly and move against him faster, utterly desperate for him. When her nails sunk sharply into his back next, he moaned brokenly and raised his head, taking her fast and desperately as she clutched him like a lifeline, making some of the sweetest noises he'd ever heard in his life.

He kissed her rough and sloppy, murmuring, "Gonna come for me again, baby?"

She whined and nodded, and he shifted their angle again, just barely but enough to make her nearly scream.

He took both of her hands in his and laid them above her head, their fingers intertwining and bodies moving in perfect sync with each other. He felt her tightening, fluttering around him, and he barely got his next words out in time before they were both gone. "Come for me, Summer," he all but moaned, watching her tip over the edge almost the very second those words left his mouth. She came with a loud, shaky, beautiful moan, and the sight and the sound and the _feel_ of her was just too much. He dropped his face into her neck and followed right after, coming so hard he barely stayed conscious throughout the few long, incredible seconds that it lasted.

It was everything Summer had hoped it would be and more. It was everything Bucky thought he'd never get to have again and would do everything in his power to hold on to, no matter what.

She laid there in utter bliss, welcoming the weight of him as he laid on top of her, still inside of her and not appearing to be very interested in moving. She carded her fingers through his hair, her eyes closed and her mind and body at complete peace. When he finally stirred and began to lift off of her, she wished that he wouldn't have.

His eyes heavy and his grin a little crooked and stupidly sated, he gave her a kiss and then eased off of her, laying down on his side and then pulling her against him, the big spoon to her little one. He used his last bit of strength to reach down and pull the covers up and over them both, and then once they were both warm and safe under there, he laid his head on his pillow and held her close, kissing the back of her shoulder just above her tattoo.

She smiled and bit her lip. "I still can't believe all of this actually happened."

"I can't believe you hid this tattoo from me for so long," he replied, tracing it with his fingertips.

"I was gonna tell you," she told him truthfully. "I was just... waiting for the right moment."

He kissed the little Russian words again with his lips, then wrapped his arm around her waist. "S'okay. Wouldn't change a thing."

She smiled and leaned back to look him in the eye. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," he smiled back, leaning down and kissing her sweetly. Then, his nose brushing hers, he whispered, "I love you."

"I love you too," she beamed, and they kissed one more time before settling back down into each other's embrace, closing their eyes and letting the irresistible pull of sleep take them both.

Finally, for the first time in a very, very long time... they both felt like they were home at last.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: I LIIIIIIIVE! First of all, my profuse and heartfelt apologies for having fallen off the face of the earth for the last few months. I would have posted a non-chapter "I'm alive" update but those aren't allowed per FF rules, so aside from some PMs I have sat here in utter silence and I really am sorry, guys, but as to the reasons for my absence, it's at LEAST a really good one lol. So I mentioned my move in January and how that was causing a hopefully brief hiatus, and literally just a few days later, I found out I was pregnant! Lol. So once I was all settled into the new place and comfortable with time to write... the lovely first trimester suckiness had already set in and between forcing myself to eat (ugh) and throwing up (UGH) and being so exhausted for no reason that I started napping daily quite hardcore... my brain was nowhere NEAR being ready to start writing. I did try, though, resulting in one fraction of a draft that I hated and trashed and a oneshot that I haven't finished yet. But once I started feeling vaguely human again, with the help of midnightwings96 (who wrote most of one of the scenes here when I was hopelessly stuck and motivation-less and helped SO MUCH in doing that, I don't think I'd be posting today if she hadn't so GIANT hugs and thanks to her) along with the encouragement of MorningGlory2 PLUS the amazing messages of support I got in PMs and reviews from some of you, I managed to finally get THIS done. It's probably not my best work and it took me a LOT longer to write than I'm used to, but... it is done :) Now, I'm not sure about the frequency of future updates but my goal is definitely to have this story finished before the baby comes, so I'm gonna try my hardest to have it done by this fall because God knows I'm not gonna be doing any writing for AWHILE after that, lol. But I want you guys to know that this will absolutely NOT be abandoned, it's never far from my mind - it's mine and midnightwings96's BABY after all lol - and I WILL finish it, lengthy hiatus or no. So hopefully the next chapters come easier than this one did, lol. I think they will.**

 **I love you guys and I greatly appreciate all the reviews and messages you all left/sent during my ghost days (lol), and again, I'm sorry for worrying or frustrating anyone. Life isn't always writing-friendly, as I'm sure most of you can understand, but I do think the worst of my focus/writing issues are over and that I'll be able to push through the rest. Thank you all so much for your loyalty and patience - I literally can't thank you guys enough, you're absolutely amazing - and I hope this chapter helps make up for the hiatus! I love you all and I shall hopefully see you soon! :D**

When Summer awoke the next morning, for about a full and very confusing moment, she was genuinely unsure as to where she was and how exactly she had ended up there. Luckily for her, however, it only took the slightest shifting of her body to reveal just how wonderfully _sore_ she was and thus instantly remind her of the glorious previous night.

She was lying on her stomach, twisted up comfortably in the sheets and wearing a happy little sleepy smile as she drew in a deep breath and began to roll over, fully expecting to find her husband still asleep on his side of the bed. But her smile deflated a little bit when she found his side empty, full of nothing but rustled sheets.

She blinked a few times, rubbing her eyes and trying not to feel too disappointed in his absence. Maybe it was late and that was why he wasn't there. She sat up, holding the sheets to her chest - and wincing slightly, because _damn_ she really was sore - and looked to the table next to the bed to try to peer at the clock. When she found her phone sitting there instead, she blinked in surprise. Her phone had been in her clutch the night before, which she'd tossed to the floor the minute she and Bucky had arrived in his room. He must have grabbed it for her and put it there that morning, and his apparent thoughtfulness made her smile as she reached for the phone.

It wasn't quite 8 yet, so she beat her alarm by about five minutes. She turned it off and then sunk back down into the incredibly comfortable, _luxurious_ bed and closed her eyes, stretching out and feeling as close to cloud nine as one could ever get.

She felt like Cinderella the morning after the ball, only infinitely happier and elated because _holy crap_ all of that had actually happened. He had really showed up at the benefit to surprise her and support her, he had really seen her tattoo, and as if those two things hadn't been enough... he had also broken his own personal, years-long rule to kiss her _and_ told her he loved her _and_ had taken her back home to absolutely ravish her.

There really was no other word for it, she was sure of that. She had been ravished. She was _still_ ravished. Mega ravished. On a scale of one to ten, she was... five million kajillion. Approximately.

It was truly all too good to be true. After everything she'd been through since the Bratva had consumed her life, all the fear and brushes with death and the trauma that had left its permanent mark on her, now _this_ had happened. And _this_ was something that she hadn't thought would have ever been possible back on her wedding day.

Still smiling like a moron and brain hopped up on more happy hormones than she could even fully process, she sat back up and decided to hurry up and get out of bed. She had to be at the office soon and she _really_ wanted to see Bucky before she left, plus pulling Aemilia aside in order to squeal and flail with her was a must. But before she could do any of that, she needed to find clothes.

She spotted Bucky's shirt on top of his jacket on the back of a chair, and that would have to do. She couldn't exactly throw her gazillion-dollar diamond dress back on, so she quickly scrambled out of bed and grabbed his shirt, throwing it on and feeling her smile grow as she was briefly engulfed in his scent. She buttoned it up and then glanced towards the door, where her dress was no longer pooled on the floor. She looked around for it before noticing Bucky's closet, which he'd left open, and there was the dress hanging right in the middle of a number of well-tailored suits.

Between her phone and the dress, his thoughtfulness was making her swoon up a storm and she hadn't even had coffee yet. She headed off to the bathroom then, floating on air and deciding to try and make herself presentable while she still had the chance, half expecting Bucky to return from wherever he was any minute and not really wanting him to find her with tangled hair and unbrushed teeth.

Of course, a toothbrush was an instant problem when she got to the bathroom. Hers was still in her own bathroom, naturally, so she started rummaging through the drawers and cabinets to try and find a spare one. Just when she was ready to give up, she found not one but three new and unopened double packs of toothbrushes - apparently the man bought in bulk. After claiming a purple one, she then found his hairbrush and got to work detangling the utter mess that was her hair. It was generally easily tangled anyway, but after the number that Bucky had done on it last night, her arm was sore by the time that she was done taming the locks.

After that, curiosity got the best of her. If she was being honest, she couldn't have stopped herself even if she'd wanted to. She had seen his numerous hair products in the bathroom before, but she'd never had the chance to fully inspect them. Now that the chance had presented itself... well, why not?

The man had _everything_. The cabinets were like a mini salon, complete with really weird and expensive brands of everything from deep conditioners to oils to floral scented tube of styling wax. She was sniffing one tub in particular - vanilla and pomegranate and rose oil, apparently - when a voice behind her startled her so bad she squealed and dropped it into the sink.

"Just so you know," Bucky said, leaning against the bathroom doorway with a cup of coffee in hand, "I didn't buy any of that."

Fake-cursing and slapping her hand to her chest to try to stop her heart from exploding out of it, Summer fumbled for the wax and slammed the lid back on it before turning around and replying with a deep blush, "And _I_ was absolutely _not_ snooping through your stuff."

Bucky grinned and looked her over, obviously rather liking the sight of her in his shirt and nothing else. "Yeah you were."

"... Yes I was," she cringed. "I'm sorry."

He shrugged and handed her the coffee. "S'all right." When she took the mug and smiled at him a little shyly, he gestured to the cup and said, "I don't know if you'll like that. I just... kept adding fake sugar until it was disgusting."

"... It's probably delicious then," she smiled, taking a small sip to verify. It was indeed so sweet that it was bordering on undrinkable, but he'd done his best and tried. That was what mattered.

He smirked. "It's awful, isn't it?"

"No," she shook her head, continuing to drink it for emphasis. "It's good."

He rolled his eyes and came closer, taking it out of her hand and setting it aside. "You can't even lie over coffee, can you?"

"I'm not lying," she smiled, backing up as he continued to saunter closer. "It's great. Best coffee I've ever had, actually."

Backing her up against the sink, Bucky invaded her space and wasted no time in picking her up and setting her on the counter, chuckling as he replied, "Now you're just embarrassing yourself."

She giggled and then closed her eyes as he leaned in and kissed her, sending a swarm of butterflies through her belly and pleasant shivers down her spine. She wondered if she'd ever get used to it, to kissing him like this and having that part of him that he'd kept locked away for so incredibly long. Every kiss was really a privilege, and she didn't plan on ever forgetting it.

He wasn't taking it for granted either. One kiss turned into two and then three, and after a few moments she felt him grin against her lips and note, "You stole my toothpaste."

"And a toothbrush," she confirmed, grinning back at him. "You have a lot of extra ones." Her hand then slipped on the counter beside her, knocking off a bottle of deep conditioner. "... And hair stuff."

"Lukas buys all this shit," Bucky explained with a sigh, hands sliding up her hips and skimming beneath the hem of his shirt. "He uses it once and then puts it in here when he decides he doesn't like it. It's fucking annoying."

"Oh, okay," she chuckled, though she suspected he really didn't mind the constant free samples. After all, some of the products she'd inspected were empty or half empty.

He raised a brow. "You don't believe me?"

"... Well, considering your hair smells better than any woman's I've ever met... not really?"

She then squeaked a little bit when his hands suddenly clamped down on her hips and brought her to the edge of the counter, pressing her right against him. He grinned at her surprised little noise and brought his lips within an inch of hers, telling her, "First I catch you looking through my stuff, and now you think I'm a liar."

If she'd been a little braver, a little more like Aemilia and a little less like herself, she might have said something along the lines of needing to be punished, or maybe daring him to do so. But as it was, she had awhile to go before she'd give voice to those particular thoughts. Instead, she blushed and tried to come up with _some_ kind of answer, only to be derailed by the distinct sensation of his phone vibrating in his pocket, just against her leg.

As she tried not to deflate with disappointment, he rolled his eyes and reached into his pocket to retrieve the phone. He then glanced at the screen, sent the call to voicemail, and tossed his phone down carelessly on the counter before turning his full attention back to his wife.

"Was that... important?" she asked as he leaned in close again, one hand moving to start plucking open the buttons of his shirt that she was wearing.

"See, here's the thing," he said lowly, pressing a kiss to her jaw and then her neck just under it, slowly opening the shirt and pushing it aside. "I'm the boss. I decide what's important. And right now," he said, kissing her pulse point before raising his head and looking her in the eye, "I'm gonna finally get my wife in the shower with me."

She smiled and her blush deepened as he pushed the shirt down her shoulders. "Oh, really?"

"Unless you wanna walk around the office all day smelling like I fucked you all night," he replied casually, cocky little smirk making a reappearance as he picked her up to haul her off to said shower.

"Why do I get the feeling that a shower won't really fix that?" she asked, clinging to him and trying not to giggle like a madwoman.

"I don't know, but I hope you're right," he grinned back, reaching the shower and somehow managing to hold her up with one arm while he used the other to turn on the water and get it warming up. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought that he'd had entirely too much practice with this kind of thing.

She was going to be late as hell to the office, but she didn't particularly care. It helped that she was best friends with the boss, who would definitely understand why she was going to be late and probably even let her take a long lunch to boot so that they could catch up on all the delicious little details of the night prior. And probably some of the morning, too.

For then, however, it was time to have a shower to remember. There were certainly worse ways to spend one's morning.

* * *

Some time later, Summer was dressed and ready for work and trying her very best not to smile like a complete idiot as she left Bucky's room and headed for the kitchens. He had slipped out first, apparently 30 minutes late to a meeting, and that left Summer to deal with the inevitable on her own: facing everyone else in the manor who knew _exactly_ what she and Bucky had been getting up to all night.

She took a breath and headed down the stairs, telling herself to just accept that everyone was going to lose their minds the minute they saw her and there was nothing she could do about it. To make matters even worse, she was well aware that she basically had a neon flashing sign on her forehead exclaiming in all caps exactly what had Bucky had done to her last night - and a matter of moments earlier in the shower. There was literally no playing it cool. It was impossible.

Once she reached the bottom of the stairs and turned, she then promptly smacked into the first person that she would encounter on her walk of non-shame - Scott, of all people.

"Oh good God," she groaned after the collision, which had almost made Scott choke on the apple he was eating.

He quickly swallowed the bite - nearly choking for lack of chewing - and then exclaimed, "Aw, damn it! You're walking!"

She furrowed her brows. "... Am I not supposed to be?"

"I bet 20 bucks this morning that you'd be too, uh... well, _you know_ , to walk properly today," he shrugged.

Her eyes widened. "Who did you bet with?!"

Scott paused. "Tony." He blinked. "And Lukas. Natasha. Um... I think... Pietro might have thrown a wager of his own in. He said the Boss would be the one who couldn't walk."

Summer paused and somehow managed to make her eyes grow even larger. "... Are you kidding me?"

Scott held up his hands in innocence. "Look, it was the hot topic at breakfast. Not my fault. And that wasn't even the worst of it, trust me. Lukas started wondering out loud how much you guys ended up doing and what positions and -"

" _Mother of God_ ," Summer squeaked, interrupting him. "I get it, I get it. Please stop."

Scott nodded, then took another bite of the apple. "So, how big is he? I only ask 'cause Lukas swears he's 'just right', so of course I had to ask how he hell he would know and he made it sound like he's seen the guy naked on a daily basis for like fifteen years which I thought was -"

"Scott," Summer blinked, interrupting, "shut up."

"Right. My bad."

Summer then sighed and stepped around him, heading towards the kitchens once more, only to then stop, turn and say, "And Lukas isn't wrong about the 'just right' thing. Just fyi."

Scott paused and then nodded. "Good to know. Sweet. I'm uh... I'm happy for you. About... that. About everything too, but also -"

"I got it," Summer nodded quickly, cringing and holding out a hand to shush him. "Thanks."

Scott nodded. "And that is the first time I've ever congratulated an ex-girlfriend on her husband's dick. At least sincerely, anyway."

Summer closed her eyes briefly with a sigh. "You know, Scott, you are literally the most annoying human being in my life currently and yet I truly hope you never change."

He winked and clicked his tongue at her while shooting a finger gun her way. " _That_ I can definitely do, kiddo." He then dropped his hand and said with mild horror, "Did I just actually call you _kiddo_? The hell's wrong with me?"

"... I think that was the official transition from former lover to annoying older brother," Summer said with a smile, turning around to head back on her way. "See you later."

With _that_ lovely conversation out of the way, now Summer just had to face everyone else. She thought of it like ripping off a bandaid - let everyone freak out and tease her and get it over with.

As she rounded the corner into the kitchen, she heard an unintelligible conversation immediately fall silent when she came into view. Just as she thought, Lukas, Aemilia, and Sam were next to each other at the table, Pietro, Tony, and Lizzie across from them, with Frieda at the head, each munching on their breakfasts with completely innocent faces. As if they hadn't _just_ been discussing _in detail_ her and Bucky's night of passion.

Frieda, bless her soul, greeted her with a happy, "Good morning, dear! There's a fresh pot of coffee if you're interested."

"Great, thanks," she replied, and as she walked to the mugs, her eyes brushed with Aemilia's sparkling ones, then onto Lukas's minuscule but potent little smirk, and then _Lizzie's_ very not-subtle look of excitement, she knew it was the beginning of the end.

"I'm sure you need the extra caffeine, after the surely... _athletic_ night you had," Lukas said smoothly.

" _Lukas_ , leave the dear alone," Frieda gently said.

"No, it's okay, just..." she sighed with a slight smile, "get it over with."

"Yes, _see,_ Mother? She doesn't mind! Besides, Summer has seen _all too much_ of Aemilia and I, I can hardly say we have any semblance of boundaries at this point." Frieda's eyes widened every so slightly and Aemilia giggled in embarrassment. " _So,"_ he began again once Summer had grabbed a croissant with her coffee and sat down next to Lizzie and across from Sam. "Is his room still standing after last night? Oh, dear God, his bed is made of memory foam - those are absolute _hell_ to clean." Sam, Tony, and Pietro snickered under their breath. Lukas's eyes widened fractionally before he leaned over the table and gestured vaguely with his fork as he whispered, "Did you place several towels down first? You know, because of all of the-"

Whatever Lukas had been about to say was cut off rather decisively by Summer choking noisily on her food and Sam helpfully smacking her back a few times to make sure she didn't die.

 _"What Lukas is trying to say,"_ Aemilia quickly interjected before her husband could go any further and while Summer caught her breath, "is that we hope you had an absolutely marvelous time last night and we can't help but be a little curious considering what a huge step this is."

After Lukas's little tirade, Summer's face was so hot she feared it would simply melt off, but she was still so intensely floating on cloud nine that she managed to say with a little shy grin, "It was..." her mind suddenly flashed back to a few particularly heated moments against her will. Coughing a little, she continued, " _Beyond_ amazing."

Aemilia and Lizzie squealed a bit, but Lukas merely groaned, "Oh, _come on,_ Summer. Don't be so _vague._ Come on, paint a picture for me, I have to make sure James took my advice."

Summer's eyes widened, "Your _advice?_ What advice?"

He merely winked at her and gestured between her and Aemilia, "You two have your little secrets, Bucky and I have mine."

"Dude... are you _trying_ to sound super gay or is that just an accident?" Tony interjected.

Without missing a beat, Lukas asked, "Why? Are you jealous?" Lizzie actually snorted at that, and a wide-eyed Tony snapped his mouth shut. Momentarily, at least.

 _"And_ I believe that is my cue," Frieda announced with an exasperated but warm smile as she stood. Pietro chuckled and followed suit. "You all have a good day." She then placed a hand on Summer's shoulder, "I apologize on behalf of everyone for acting like children." Lukas merely gestured to himself in mock surprise as if to say _Who? Me?_ and Aemilia giggled at him. Frigga trained her eyes to her youngest son. "Lukas. _Behave._ "

"Always do, Mother!" He called after her retreating figure.

Just as she and Pietro turned the corner, Lizzie beat Lukas to the punch. "Alright, honey, give me details, start from the beginning. How was the car ride over? Were you guys able to keep in your pants until you got to the manor? What's he like? Gentle? Sensitive? Or is he more of a _screw-you-til-you-scream_ kinda guy, a -"

"Murder Daddy, if you will. Does he live up to the name?" Tony wagged his eyebrows and Lizzie, Summer, and Sam did a double take at the nickname.

Sam asked incredulously, "Murder _what?"_

"Daddy. Murder Daddy," Tony deadpanned as if it was obvious, "Come on, Boss man is a _total -"_

"Nope, uh uh. Don't even finish that sentence, man," Sam put a hand up in sheer desperation. Meanwhile, Summer's head was spinning with the amount of times she had to hear _that_ nickname in one sitting. As if she needed anything _else_ to torture herself over at work.

 _"Woah,_ slow down," she interrupted. "One thing at a time. The car ride over was... tough, but _yes_ we kept it in our pants."

"Thanks for that," Sam said, genuinely grateful his ears were spared.

Lukas leaned in again, "Tell me, what was the first thing he did once you two were finally alone?"

Summer fidgeted with her croissant as her face heated up once more, _way_ too many blazingly hot memories running through her brain. "Uh... he..." she stuttered.

"Come on, out with it!" Lizzie exclaimed. Meanwhile Aemilia was just grinning and soaking it all in. Summer figured her friend would wait to ask for any details until she could do so in private. Thank God for her.

"Uh..." And before she could talk herself out of it, she let it out in one big breath, "He... he turned me around and pushed me up against the door and kissed down my neck as he pulled my dress off while he growled... _thing_ s... in my ear." Then, to punctuate the sentence, she slapped a hand over her face in complete embarrassment.

Lizzie's eyes were about the size of saucers. "Good _God."_

Lukas grinned. "Good man."

Aemilia said nothing but the sparkle in her eyes said that Summer would have to go into great detail today at lunch.

Tony thought for a moment before nodding his head almost as if out of respect to Bucky.

And Sam just grabbed his plate and got up as he said, "Alright, before this gets anymore graphic, I'm gonna head off to work. Glad you had a good night, Marshmallow."

Lizzie then took the moment to lean over and whisper to Summer, "I _do_ hope you guys were coherent enough to use birth control. You guys are married and all, but I doubt babies are not even close to being on the radar."

Summer's mug paused halfway to her lips as she processed that statement and all of the blood left her face in a moment of sudden panic. For some unexplainable reason, that hadn't even crossed her mind both last night _and_ this morning, and clearly Bucky hadn't thought of it either. She supposed they really _hadn't_ been coherent and were so caught up in everything that was said and had happened that _birth control_ just...well, it just didn't happen. Thankfully Tony and Lukas were bickering about something so they were oblivious, but Aemilia immediately noticed her friend's subtly panicked expression and trained her ears to their conversation.

"Oh my God, we completely forgot," she stammered quietly. "We didn't... we didn't even..."

Before she could panic further, Aemilia evenly said, "It'll be completely fine, Summer. We can get it worked out during our long lunch break today, hmm?"

Summer's wide eyes met her friend's calming gaze from across the table, and she immediately felt her heart rate lessen. Letting out an audible breath, she nodded and smiled in thanks. Aemilia smiled back before exclaiming to the entire table, _"Speaking_ of work, I believe we're all late."

And with that, most of the table began to scatter on cue. Lizzie walked by and gave Summer a kiss on the head before whispering that she expected more details later, and Lukas told Aemilia he'd be waiting for her outside before heading out himself. Summer plastered a smile on her face while still panicking inside, mentally calculating when her last cycle was and wondering if the previous night had fallen during a fertile period, and when were those anyway? She needed a date with Google and her lady doctor, stat.

"Really, darling," Aemilia said gently as Summer got to her feet, seeing her lingering panic in her features clear as day. "The chances of one slip up leading to anything is much smaller than you think. I know because of all the times Lukas and I didn't use anything, he's only knocked me up twice and that actually makes our statistics quite terrible."

Summer chuckled and nodded, trying to take some comfort in that. "Okay. I'll try to calm down. I just know that it does sometimes only take once, so..."

"Sometimes," Aemilia nodded. "But the odds are very much in your favor. So just try not to freak out too badly. Do you have a doctor in the city?" After Summer nodded, Aemilia said, "Text Wanda the name and have her set up an appointment sometime near lunch. I'll go with you. Then you can get on some lovely lady pills and start having as much carefree sex as you can handle."

Summer broke into a smile as she followed Aemilia out of the room. "You have such a way with words."

Aemilia flashed her a grin. "I really do, don't I?"

* * *

Summer's following morning at work was equal parts blissful, busy, and nerve wracking. She was grateful for how busy she was, however, because it saved her from obsessing too much and made the hours fly by quickly. The benefit the night before had been a smashing success, and overall it was a great day at work. Even better, before she knew it lunchtime had approached and so did Aemilia, ready to escort her uptown to the doctor and ease her mind.

The girls departed in the middle vehicle of a heavily armed caravan - Lukas and Bucky's orders ever since Aemilia's shooting. To anyone looking on, they were just three cars in the same lane, but in reality the cars were stocked with highly protective men and enough arms to handle a small army. Sam drove the girls' car and Thor took the passenger seat, and in the backseat Summer and Aemilia giggled and quietly got to have that talk they were so desperate to begin.

The talk was so riveting, in fact, that it continued on into the waiting room at the doctor's office, which was fairly empty at the time.

"... And he just... he was so _gentle_ , but I kinda got the feeling that he was really having to control himself... you know?" Summer grinned, whispering under her breath and hoping that the receptionist some feet away didn't have supersonic hearing.

"Oh, I think I definitely know," Aemilia grinned back. "But that's wonderful. It sounds like he was making sure that he gave you the night of your life."

"He totally did," Summer sighed, still feeling like she was on cloud nine, or perhaps an entirely new cloud of a much higher number. "And like... he's so... _vocal_. It's incredibly hot. There aren't even words."

"Lukas is rather vocal also," Aemilia replied, blushing a bit. "Not that he screams his head off or anything." She paused and seemed to rethink that statement. "Well, he sort of has once or twice before."

Summer blinked and widened her eyes a little. "... He's literally _screamed his head off_? When? Why?"

Aemilia scratched behind her ear and smiled, blush deepening as she hesitated. "Ah... well, um..." She leaned in closer and dropped her voice lower. "Do you remember the... rather large object you stumbled across in our room?"

Summer gulped, face reddening and instantly growing almost painfully hot. "The... I can't even say it. The big golden..."

"Yes, that," Aemilia giggled. "Listen, all I'll say is that once you get the hang of it and start hitting the right spot, it's truly unlike anything else."

Summer stared at Aemilia, both mesmerized and embarrassed and trying not to picture what she was describing except _oops too late, she was already there_.

"Plus he was tied to the bed," Aemilia threw in as an extra detail, grin having turned into a smirk. "It was an incredible night. Our first wedding anniversary, actually."

Summer gulped _again_. "That's... one heck of an anniversary."

"Well, you know, he was my first," Aemilia replied. "And I was the first woman to ever have him in _that_ way. He told me he had fantasies of it before we even slept together the first time."

... Summer's mind was quickly turning into pure mush. "He was your first? I didn't know that."

Aemilia smiled and nodded. "He was the first and only man I've ever found to make me _want_ to give myself to him in that way. I'm glad I waited. I've never regretted it and I doubt I ever will."

Summer simply stared in awe at her friend, processing this new information before her phone buzzed in her lap and forced her back into reality and away from her brief but vivid thoughts of... well... all of _that_.

The text was from Bucky, a fact which alone made her heart skip a beat. She opened the message to find it consisting of a single word - _Lunch?_

She smiled and quickly started typing back. _Oh man I'd love to but I already ate. I'm actually at a doctor's appointment right now. Sorry :(_

His response came fast. _Are you okay?_

 _Yeah, fine_ , she replied. _It's just I completely forgot about using any kind of birth control last night so I'm taking care of that now_.

Then there was silence for all of 10 seconds before he called her. She showed Aemilia the incoming call and then stepped out, not really wanting to take the call in front of the receptionist. Once she was in the hallway, she answered it. "Hello?"

"I am so fucking sorry."

Just the sound of his voice across the phone line made Summer sigh and feel shivers race down her spine. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes, smiling dreamily. "It's okay."

"No, it's fucking not," he replied, clearly _very_ frustrated with himself. " _Shit_. I hope you don't think I'm one of those dicks who thinks it's the woman's job to take care of this, because I'm not, I swear. I was just... it didn't even enter my mind once."

"Me either, and trust me, I don't think that of you," Summer said, opening her eyes and shaking her head.

"I was just so caught up and... honestly just out of my fucking mind," he chuckled, voice lowering a little. "I couldn't think of anything beyond just... having you."

Her shivers became visible, impressive goosebumps all over. "Yeah. Yeah, no... same, trust me. I'm usually a lot more responsible. My mom said something at breakfast about it and I panicked. A lot."

Bucky groaned miserably. "I'm so sorry. I should have at least realized it this morning before we..." he trailed off and sighed. "I'm sorry."

She smiled. "It's okay. It was a fail on both our parts, but I'm taking care of it. It's not the end of the world. And last night was so beyond perfect, I don't want to let _anything_ taint that."

"I don't either," he agreed. "I just feel so stupid."

"Me too, but... well. Things happen," she shrugged.

One very brief pause later, Bucky asked, "Do you remember what I told you last night, at the benefit?"

"You... uh... said a lot of things. Really big things," she chuckled. "So..."

"The thing about having you in my bed every night," he clarified. "I meant that."

 _Oh_. Another shiver pleasantly wracking her bones, she leaned back against the wall again and smiled, "Good. I was hoping so."

"I'm gonna be out a little late tonight, probably won't make it for dinner so... I was hoping when I come home, I'd find you there."

Her smile grew. "In your room?"

"Yeah. I don't want you to give up your room," he said. "I don't expect you to give up your space and independence. And I don't want you to, either. But... if you want to leave a few things in my room... clothes, whatever, so you can stay the night with me... I'd like that."

"I can do that," Summer nodded, though he couldn't see the gesture. "Your bed is like... the most incredible bed ever."

She could hear the grin in his voice. "So you're just in it for the bed, huh?"

"Well... your shower's pretty nice, too," she teased, smiling like a moron.

"Right... you know, good girls tell the truth."

She almost whimpered on the spot. Before she could melt into a puddle of very turned on goo, the door to the office opened and Aemilia's head poked through it. "Doc's ready for you, darling."

"Okay," Summer nodded. "I gotta go. See you tonight?"

"Okay. Bye, sweetheart."

Her cheeks ached from how wide her smile was. "Bye."

She hung up and then followed Aemilia back inside, heading back towards where the nurse was waiting for her. "Good talk?" Aemilia asked with a smile.

"Good _everything_ ," Summer sighed, suddenly quite excited to get the appointment over with and be able to look forward to that night - and a lot more future nights - worry free. She and Aemilia shared another little smile, and then they disappeared down the little hallway towards the exam room.

She only hoped that the day continued to fly by so quickly now that she was so desperately looking forward to seeing her husband again.

* * *

Bucky hung up his phone and Natasha, sitting next to him in the car they were riding in, raised an amused eyebrow and repeated, "Good girls tell the truth, huh?"

He side eyed her but let a grin slip anyway as he checked his texts. "Last time I checked."

She grinned. "She's got some fun kinks, doesn't she?"

"A gentleman never tells," he said, skimming over no less than five new texts from the very excitable Lukas, who'd been harassing him nonstop all day as expected.

"Maybe not, but she's an open book. I bet she's fun," Natasha added. "Honestly, if she wasn't yours, I might have tried to seduce her myself."

Bucky blinked, those words taking a moment to sink in. Then he slowly turned his eyes on her and asked, "Are you just fucking with me?"

"Me?" she teased. "I would never. But you already imagined it, didn't you?"

Bucky sighed and looked away, not even bothering to deny it. Considering how well he knew both women and how intimately... his imagination could definitely run with that one if he let it.

"But it's all right. Her lady crush is for Aemilia, anyway. She's as gay for her as you are for Lukas."

"Did you put too much sugar in your coffee today?" Bucky asked dismissively as he tried again to focus on Lukas' string of texts.

"No, but Clint's away on a mission and my vibrator picked this week to die on me for good," she sighed.

"Don't you have like ten of those things?" he asked, but Natasha never got to answer as the car slowed to a halt and the door next to Bucky opened, revealing none other than Lukas hopping in from the curb in front of a cafe he'd been grabbing lunch at.

"Scoot, darling," he told Bucky, who grumbled and gave Lukas the stink eye as he unbuckled himself and moved to the middle of the backseat. Once Lukas had climbed in and settled, Bucky - not a particularly small human being - was squished between him and Natasha and made for a rather comical sight.

"How the hell did you know where we were?" Bucky asked, genuinely lost as to how Lukas literally flagged down their car in the middle of Manhattan.

"You act as if I haven't had a tracker on your phone for years," Lukas said casually.

Bucky narrowed his eyes. "You _what_?!"

"You know, it can come quite in handy when someone is, say, kidnapped and almost killed. And I occasionally use it for my own purposes of annoying the hell out of you."

Bucky paused. "... That explains a lot." He then squirmed slightly to try to make more room for himself and added, "You'd better make this quick because I'm giving you five blocks before I kick you back out."

"Oh, give me a break," Lukas rolled his eyes, patting Bucky's leg. "I wouldn't have had to ambush you like this if you had bothered to, oh I don't know, answer one of the 78 texts I've sent you over the course of the morning."

"I've been busy," Bucky replied, and it wasn't a lie. Not exactly, anyway.

"You are full of shit," Lukas deadpanned. "So, did you take my advice?"

"Advice?" Natasha repeated. "What advice? He still needs advice?"

"Well, it had been a very long time since he had made love to a lady, and I had to make sure he remembered how," Lukas explained.

"Oh. Fair enough," Natasha shrugged.

Bucky sighed like he was surrounded by the most annoying human beings on earth. "Yes, Lukas, I took your fucking advice. _Fuck_."

"Good, good," Lukas nodded. "So you kept the starving caveman at bay and showed her the sort of night that a woman like her deserves."

"... I did my best, trust me," Bucky replied. "She definitely seemed to..." He trailed off, mind flashing to some of the night's best and most overwhelming moments, forgetting what he was even talking about for a second. "She didn't complain."

"Oh, I know," Lukas grinned. "At breakfast this morning she was positively glowing. And walking with a very slight limp."

"Aw, and I missed it," Natasha sighed. "It would have been fun to tease her."

"Trust me, I got enough of that in for all of us," Lukas winked while Bucky shot him a slight glare.

"Please tell me you didn't embarrass her in front of everybody," Bucky said, his disapproval clear in his tone.

"It was nothing she's not more than used to, I assure you," Lukas replied. "I spared her the more detailed questions I could have asked, considering her mother was sitting right there. Though I don't think Lizzie would have minded. But Summer may have."

"Well, thanks for your discretion," Bucky said, somewhat sarcastically. Lukas saw right through this, however.

"You know," Lukas chuckled, "you are trying so desperately hard to cling to this grumpy facade of yours and yet I can see just by glancing at your eyes how unbearably happy you are right now."

And with that, Bucky's mask of indifference indeed slipped away and a smile - much as he tried to fight it - took its place. It was true, he was happy and he was in love and even he could only be so successful in pretending otherwise. And he wasn't sure that he _wanted_ to pretend, anyway.

Natasha smiled and patted Bucky's shoulder, telling him sincerely, "It's good to see you happy for once."

"It is, isn't it?" Lukas agreed, also beaming with great approval upon his best friend.

Then Bucky chuckled a little and shook them both off. "Okay, okay. _Jesus_ , you guys are smothering me."

"Get used to it," Lukas said, nudging his side that he was already smushed against. "Now that you and Summer are officially happy and in love, it's only a matter of time before Aemilia insists on a double date."

"Ooh!" Natasha piped up. "I can bring Clint and make it a triple date."

"The more the merrier," Lukas grinned while Bucky's expression became one of pure despair. "Just think of all the adorable little couple things you get to enjoy now."

" _Oh God_ ," Bucky muttered under his breath. What had he gotten himself into?

"Ah, well, this is my stop," Lukas said as the car stopped outside of Pierce Consolidated. "Have a lovely day, Natasha. And as for you, my dear James," he again patted Bucky's leg and shot him a wide smile. "I truly can't tell you how happy I am for you."

Bucky smiled back, unable to help himself. He really was happy too. It had been so long that happiness was a bizarre, foreign feeling, but _damn_ did it feel good.

"Anyway," Lukas then chirped cheerfully, opening the door and sliding himself out of the car smoothly. "Off I go. And no more ignoring my texts, James."

"Fuck off," Bucky replied, to which Lukas grinned and then shut the car door. Bucky rolled his eyes and then returned to his original seat, taking a deep breath and trying to wipe the smile off of his face. The problem was, he just couldn't honestly seem to do it fully.

He checked the time on his phone and wanted to groan. It was entirely too long until he could get home and get back home to the woman who was entirely responsible for the smile on his face and the happiness taking root in his heart.

* * *

Once Summer left the doctor's office with a new prescription and further assurances that her chances of the previous night's slip-up leading to something dire were quite small, the rest of her day passed by remarkably smoothly. She went back to the office and cheerfully executed her duties, so cheerfully that Esteban eyed her with mild alarm and Darcy was in physical pain from how much effort it took to remain professional, considering it wasn't especially hard to guess why the boss was so chipper.

Summer didn't care. In fact, she was in such a good mood that she let everyone go home early and practically floated back home herself. But that didn't stop her from briefly falling into a pit of anxiety later on.

After dinner, which was thankfully a quiet and far less noisy affair than breakfast, Summer headed to her room and decided to start the process of figuring out what to move into Bucky's room. She started grabbing the basics - clothes, phone charger, half of the contents of her bathroom - and figured that she could always come back for more if she had to. After all, a mere ten second walk separated their rooms, and for a moment she wondered if it was silly to maintain separate rooms at all if she was going to be staying with him most nights.

But she quickly shot down her own thought, shaking her head and reminding herself that they'd only _just_ kissed and slept together for the first time the night before. Even though the relationship had been building for what felt like ages now, it was actually still quite new and there was no need to rush into things.

But that thought led to a mild panic attack once she stepped inside his room with her things in tow. She flipped on his lights and suddenly felt overwhelmed and a little apprehensive as she looked around, not used to being in Bucky's space without him present, and to her surprise it made her feel rather small and almost out of her depth.

It was a fabulous moment for the whole _you're madly in love with a ruthless and highly lethal mob boss_ thing to rear its ugly head harder than it ever had before. She left her things near the door and took a seat on his couch as she dropped her head into her hands and tried not to spiral too quickly too far.

The thing was, she had been in so deep for so long by now that any sense of normalcy had long since faded to a mere whisper in the back of her head, but occasionally that whisper rose to a dull roar that she couldn't ignore. She loved everyone in the manor so much, couldn't imagine her life without them and couldn't imagine ever turning back now, but the fact remained that she was directly in the middle of a highly criminal enterprise populated by people who all had a laundry list of crimes attached to them ranging from murder to kidnapping to embezzlement and simple theft. Many of them committed these crimes on a daily basis, and her husband probably had the longest list of sins of any of them. Director Carter at SHIELD had said as much.

Trying to keep breathing, Summer slid off of the couch and down to the floor, closing her eyes and holding her head as she reminded herself that she was not, in fact, dying and that she'd feel better in a few minutes. It wasn't even so much the criminal nature of it all that bothered her - though her ambivalence might have been concerning on its own - but it was the fact that, should Carter and SHIELD end their deal with the Bratva and stop protecting them, the FBI would likely raid the manor and Pierce Consolidated so fast her head would spin. Hell, she'd probably be led away in cuffs right next to Bucky. She was a killer now too, after all.

Nobody seemed too worried about any of this, at least not outwardly, but she had to wonder if she was the only one with these sorts of thoughts. Then again, maybe it was just the new level of commitment between herself and Bucky and the fact that their marriage wasn't just for show anymore thoroughly freaking her out and taking her back to those early days of actually viewing marrying into the mob as something horrible and life-ending.

But as it had turned out, it wasn't horrible and it hadn't ended her life. Everything was good - _so, so good_ \- so why was she sitting on the floor panicking like a prisoner headed to the guillotine?

Once she had regained her normal breathing pattern and her heart rate dropped from sky high to merely elevated, she opened her eyes and leaned her head back as the answer became blindingly clear. She was panicking because, despite her best efforts otherwise, she was still human and she was still in an extremely complicated situation that she hadn't chosen for herself.

But she _had_ chosen to stay. She had chosen to love Bucky and pursue him, to snake her way through his walls and take them apart no matter what it took. She hadn't come to the manor of her own free will, but she did stay of just that.

If it meant she was crazy, she supposed there were worse things to be. Maybe her story was less _Cinderella_ and more _Beauty and the Beast,_ or some dark retelling of the two. Or perhaps, more likely, her story was her own and the ending certainly wasn't set in stone by any stretch of the imagination.

She couldn't see that far, anyway. One day at a time was all that she could handle, and keeping that in mind, she eventually got back to her feet and returned to the task at hand. It was never fun getting up and shaking off a panic attack, but she was nothing if not experienced in that regard. Usually, for her, staying busy and occupying her mind with something was the best way to get eventually feeling better, so she headed to the door where she'd left her things and picked them back up. Now to figure out where to store it all.

Bucky didn't seem particularly meticulous about his room and was by all accounts rather laid back when it came to that, so she hoped he wouldn't mind the mild reorganization of his bathroom and other light touches that she left throughout his space. She saved her clothes for last, and when she approached his dresser, she couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive about skimming through the drawers to find an empty one. After what she'd found in Lukas and Aemilia's dresser... one could hardly blame her.

But as it turned out, he wasn't harboring any alarmingly huge sex toys or X-rated photo albums, to her relief (and maybe mild disappointment). Most of his drawers were full of, appropriately, clothes and that was about it, at least until she got to one on the left side of the middle row. She opened it and peeked inside and went to close it before pausing and opening it a little further.

There were no clothes in that particular drawer, but rather an old yearbook and some papers, a few aged looking books, and underneath all of that, a bundle of photos tied with a rubber band. Curiosity getting the best of her, she nudged aside a book that was partially covering the photos and then felt her heart drop at the sight of who was in the very first one.

She recognized the sweet, pretty face and the soft red hair in an instant, even though she'd only seen the woman once before for a fleeting moment in an old video. In the picture she and Bucky were dressed up, maybe for a party or some other event, and they were both smiling and so obviously smitten and happy that it made Summer's heart lurch. Bucky's hair was so much shorter, his face younger and his entire countenance unbelievably lighter.

She wouldn't dare reach in and pick up the pictures to look through them - she felt bad enough that she'd seen them at all - but in the end it didn't matter. Bucky was standing right behind her and she didn't even know it.

"That was 2001. Couple weeks before 9/11."

Summer gasped and jumped and flailed and shoved the drawer shut so quickly and so hard that a few of the framed photos on top fell over. She quickly set them back up, face reddening at a rapid pace and guilt setting in as she turned around and started sputtering, "I wasn't trying to snoop, I swear. I'd never intrude on something like that. I was just trying to find a drawer that wasn't as full and -"

"I know," he assured her, tone gentle as his hands went to her shoulders comfortingly. "Relax. I asked you to move some of your stuff in. I figured you might come across those."

She breathed a sigh of relief and some of the tension left her shoulders. "You're not mad?"

"No," he shook his head. "It would take a lot more than that to make me mad at you."

She closed her eyes in sheer relief and then let him pull her into a hug. Her cheek to his chest, she murmured, "How the heck did I not even hear you come in?"

He smirked and then cupped her jaw, tilting her head up towards his. "You'll never hear me coming."

"That's terrifying," she replied before his lips were on hers, taking her breath away in mere seconds. It just might have been the best feeling on all the earth, and she wondered how she'd survived all of these years without it.

By the time he pulled away, she was already in a pleasant daze and her horror of the previous few moments was all but gone. She smiled up at him and he smiled back, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear before asking, "Where's your stuff?"

"Oh," she nodded, "on the bed."

He nodded back and then reached past her, opening a drawer and pulling out the contents and shoving them in another drawer. Then he said, "You can use this one. And if you need more, my closet's fucking huge."

"Okay," she smiled. Then she walked the small distance to the bed and grabbed her stack of clothes, and after she had deposited them into the drawer - _her drawer,_ she thought more giddily than she would have expected - Bucky surprised her by what he did next.

For a moment, he seemed to debate what he was about to do. She would understand the hesitation a few seconds later, when he opened the drawer with the bundle of photos in it and pulled it out, then began walking to the couch while pulling the rubber band off of them.

She stood there in nothing short of shock for a moment. Was he really going to show those pictures to her, voluntarily opening up to her about one of the worst tragedies in his life?

She got her answer when he sat down and glanced up at her, a glint of vulnerability in his eyes that she had only seen before during moments where Vivian's memory had been involved. She wasted no time in getting to the couch, sitting next to him and looking at him cautiously as he took a breath and gazed down at the pictures in his hands.

"You don't... have to talk about her," she reminded him quietly. "You don't owe me anything when it comes to... anything like that."

He smiled a little sadly and looked at her. "Yeah I do."

She shook her head. "Bucky, I -"

"I handled what happened in the worst way a person can," he interrupted gently. "I know that. I always knew that, I just didn't care. I stopped caring about anything. I let it destroy me for so long... and the thing is, I just... it fucking terrifies me but I don't want to hide anything from you anymore."

Those words surprising her and making her heart flutter a little bit, Summer was quick to reply, "Okay. I just don't want you to feel pressured or feel like you _have_ to talk about anything you don't want to. I'm not going anywhere either way."

He nodded, though that sad little smile returned as his eyes fell back to the pictures. "I want to believe that."

"You should," Summer replied. "Because it's the truth."

He took a deep breath, still avoiding her gaze. "I still think you'll leave someday. And I wouldn't blame you."

"... Well, I'm not," she said with full conviction. "Unless you send me away."

 _That_ made his eyes flicker to hers. "That's never gonna happen."

"Then there's nothing to worry about," she smiled. He let out a deep breath and looked away, putting the issue behind them for now as he turned his attention back to the pictures. She did as well, scooting a little closer to him to get a better look as he moved the top photo aside to reveal another.

"This was at a concert," he said of a picture of he and Vivian smiling in front of a mostly dark background. "One of her favorite bands. I surprised her with tickets over dinner and she lost her shit."

"Aw," Summer smiled. "That's incredibly sweet."

"... I tried," he shrugged, moving to the next one. It was a picture of him snuggled up in bed alone, absolutely knocked out and his mouth open, looking so _young_ Summer's jaw dropped. "Pretty sure this was after a night of drinking. She always stopped before she'd get wasted but I was still learning my limits. That might have been the time she said she had to literally carry me home."

Summer giggled, listening intently as he flipped to the next picture. Before he went any further, she asked, "There's no, like... naked pictures in here, is there, because -"

"No," he assured her, shaking his head for emphasis. "Definitely not. She would have cut my balls off if I'd tried to pull anything like that."

"Okay," Summer laughed. "Just making sure."

"Yeah. She was pretty conservative. Not boring or uptight or anything. Just... more than anyone else I knew at that age, she knew who she was and what she wanted. She was a lot more mature than I was in some ways. Still don't know what she really saw in me."

"I have a few ideas," Summer smiled, giving him a gentle nudge. He briefly smiled back at her before getting back to the photos.

Each one seemed to carry a story of its own, most thankfully rather happy. There were pictures of Vivian singing on stage, dressed for various roles and looking every bit like the budding star that she had been. Bucky described her voice at Summer's request, still remembering it strikingly well though he hadn't heard it in many years. He spoke of her wistfully and sadly, but there was no doubt in Summer's mind that while Bucky had been with her, he had been a very happy man. She wondered if it had been the first time in his life that he'd ever been truly happy.

But as the pictures told their story, Bucky also spoke of the slow erosion of their otherwise happy relationship - how Vivian had caught on that something wasn't quite right with him, how he hadn't been able to hide his violent side when an idiot at a party had harassed her. There was no big implosion or sudden end to their relationship, but rather Vivian putting together the various puzzle pieces and coming to the conclusion that Bucky was a part of something terrible that she just couldn't live with.

Holding the last picture that had ever been taken of the two of them, Bucky stared at it and explained, "She came over one night to talk and... I couldn't give her the answers she wanted. She knew - she knew I was in the mob. Never said the words, but she didn't have to. And that scared the hell out of her." He swallowed. " _I_ scared the hell out of her. I begged her to stay, to just wait and... let me explain, even though I knew I couldn't. But nothing helped. I couldn't stop her. She couldn't love someone like me and I couldn't blame her. Still don't." He cleared his throat. "You know what happened next."

"... I'm so sorry," Summer said quietly, the sequence of events simply unfathomable. To lose the woman he loved in such a horrible way after her having walked out on him and leading him to think himself an unlovable and terrifying monster - she could hardly blame him for the dark path that he then took in life. Not that she blamed Vivian for leaving, either. It was just a perfect storm of tragedy and horror.

"I had to ID her at the hospital," Bucky said, gaze drifting off in the distance. "I went numb after that. Probably broke with reality a little bit too, I don't know. After her funeral I just focused on getting revenge."

"On the drunk driver?"

Bucky nodded. "He was a nobody. No family, no kids, nothing. Lukas helped me get into the hospital he was recovering at. He was the second man I killed in my life. First one that I wanted to kill." He paused and then added, "I've never felt remorse a day in my life for what I did to him."

While that statement might have been alarming to most people, Summer wasn't most people and could understand why he felt the way that he did. Some idiot drunk driver taking the life of an innocent young woman who had her whole life ahead of her and infinite potential, with family and friends - and Bucky - who loved her... Bucky's sin of revenge was certainly lesser than the driver's in Summer's eyes.

"After that I just... shut down. Got through school on autopilot. Barely talked to anyone, even Steve or Lukas. Then came home after I graduated and told Pierce I wanted to prove myself and start going on missions. Made a name for myself."

She recalled Sam's explanation of why Bucky was known as the _Winter Soldier_. Even now, it sent not entirely pleasant shivers down her spine.

"First mission I led was when I was captured," he said, setting the pictures aside as he continued the unpleasant traipse down memory lane. "I thought I was the sickest bastard in the world until I went through what they did to me. Steve went against SHIELD orders and coordinated with Pierce and Lukas and led a rescue mission once he figured out where I was. Probably would have been dead if he hadn't gotten there when he had. Still almost died in the hospital."

Her eyes widened. "Really?"

He took a breath and nodded. "They barely saved my arm, but that was just part of it. Infections, internal bleeding, brain injury - name it and I had it. Took weeks for the doctors to start acting optimistic. But by then I didn't really want to live."

It broke Summer's heart to hear the story in such detail, especially after seeing so many pictures of Bucky so young and happy. She didn't believe that he deserved an ounce of what he had endured in his lifetime, but knowing Bucky, he'd likely disagree.

"Once I got home I still had to do physical therapy to get my strength back, so Pierce put me to work at the company and sidelined me from missions until I was back in shape."

"You _wanted_ to go back on missions?" she asked incredulously. He merely shrugged.

"Once I was back in the field I kept my job, split my time between both. Couple years later he made me Captain," he said, effectively finishing the story and turning to Summer.

"And that's what you wanted? This is all what you wanted?" she asked.

"The job is a pain in the ass," he admitted. "Most of the recruits I train disgust me and I'll always have to deal with certain higher ups not trusting me and being assholes because I'm not Russian. And as you know," he added, "they can even dictate who I marry."

"Yeah," she said quietly. She would always wish that she and Bucky had come together under much, _much_ different circumstances.

"But this is my family. Only one I've ever had since mine was killed. I'll do anything for them, anything to protect them." He paused and looked her in the eye. "I'll do anything to protect _you_."

Those words bringing warmth to her heart and thawing it after the beating it had taken during their talk, she smiled and reached for his hand. Linking their fingers together, she replied, "I know. And no matter what you think of yourself, I think you're a good man. Just... one who's been to hell and back and has the scars to prove it."

He glanced down at their hands. "That's a very... poetic way of saying I'm a monster."

She shook her head. "I've known monsters. I was almost hurt by one in this house. You're no monster."

His eyes met hers, and he didn't say anything back to that. He didn't have to. She knew he might never quite agree with her, but she'd sure as hell keep trying so long as there was breath in her lungs.

After that, she made the conscious effort to salvage the night and hopefully cheer him up a bit following the unexpected soul baring. Knowing he missed dinner, she had staff bring food for him that he ate while she chatted with him and kept the topics deliberately light and as non-depressing as possible. To her relief, it seemed to work and she even got him to laugh a few times in the process. Before she knew it, the night was growing quite late and if she didn't want to be a zombie at work the next day, she needed to get to bed.

Bucky put the pictures back the drawer Summer had found them in, and they each took turns getting ready for bed. Bucky was already comfortable under the sheets by the time Summer emerged from the bathroom, clad in a short black lace nightgown that she'd had buried in her things for a long time but never felt like wearing until now. Sleeping in nightgowns wasn't really her thing, but since the chances were considerable that it wouldn't stay on... she figured it was a good choice.

Most of the lights out already, she quietly made her way to her side of the bed and crept under the covers, glancing over to check if Bucky was still awake. He was, of course, and watching her with a hint of a smile on his face.

"What?" she smiled back, happily accepting when he invited her closer to him by holding out his arm. She snuggled up to his side and he shifted towards her, his other hand resting on her hip as he shook his head a little and grinned down at her.

"Nothing," he said, gently tracing the fabric's lacy patterns atop her hipbone and watching his fingers work. A moment of silence passed before he murmured quietly, "Guess I just keep expecting you to disappear every time you leave the room. Always surprised when you come back."

Summer sighed and reached up, this time directing him to look at her as he had with her so many times before. "Listen... as crazy as everything is, I knew what I was getting into with you from the beginning. I don't have blinders on and I'm not sticking my head in the sand. I know who you are and what you do and what you've done, and I still want to be here."

"But you wouldn't have chosen it for yourself," Bucky said. "You would have left like she did, if we'd met the same way."

"I don't know what I would have chosen," Summer replied honestly, "but it doesn't matter because I chose to stay here. I could have left and never looked back but I didn't. I don't want to keep proving to you over and over that I'm not her, but I will if that's the only way I can convince you."

He shook his head and let out a soft sigh. "I don't want you to do that either. I'm sorry. I'm just... my head's still all fucked up from all of that."

Summer nodded understandingly. "It's okay. You know what helps though? Therapy." Bucky made a face, and Summer smiled and added, "Seriously. It might seem silly to you but it really can make all the difference. And I don't know if I can... fix all of this on my own. I don't want you to constantly doubt how I feel or expect me to run away when things get hard. I want to make you happy but I'm afraid I really can't if I'm always trying to... kind of compete with a ghost. You know?"

He nodded, expression growing a little bit pained. "I don't want that either. S'not fair to you."

"Or to you," she pointed out. "But like I keep saying... I know what I'm getting into. I want to be here. I want to be with you. I'll do whatever I have to to make it work. You just... you've gotta help me."

He nodded again, meeting her gaze. "I will."

She smiled. "Good. Because I just realized you're naked under here and I completely lost my train of thought."

Bucky's mouth curled into a grin and he let out a laugh at that unexpected sentence. She giggled too, and the next thing she knew they were kissing while still smiling like idiots.

"I always sleep naked," he told her when he pulled away, fingers trailing through her hair.

"I... did not know that, but now I do," she giggled again.

"Only time I've worn clothes to bed is when you stayed here before," he replied. "I didn't wanna scare you away, so..."

"I don't know if scaring me is exactly what you would have done, but... I appreciate it?"

He grinned and kissed her again, and she let herself melt against him. He was so _big_ , warm and just perfect, and she couldn't help but wind her leg around his hip and press herself against him as the kiss deepened. He happily held her closer, his arm around her hips and body responding beautifully to just that small, innocent amount of contact. She could feel it and giggled into the kiss as a result, and Bucky replied by tightening his grip on her and rolling them, placing her on top of him and breaking their kiss.

Hands on his chest, she bit her lip and smiled a little shyly down at him while his hands slid up her thighs and underneath her nightgown. He grinned back but then asked quite seriously, "Is everything... is it safe? Did the doctor give you..."

"Oh, yeah!" she assured him. "Yeah, that's all squared away."

"Does it need time to... build up in your system or..."

Summer's smile grew. "No. You're free to do whatever you want to me."

He raised one of his eyebrows in both amusement and slight surprise. "Whatever I want, huh?"

"Well, within reason," she replied, happily letting him pull the nightgown over her head and toss it away. She was topless underneath, something his hands quickly took advantage of.

"Within reason," he repeated thoughtfully, caressing and squeezing gently and making her arch a little into his touch. "So what if... I want you to crawl up here and sit on my face and ride it til you make a fucking mess on it?"

Her face went from normal to unbearably burning red in less than two full seconds. "Um... well... I -"

"You'd do that for me, right? You'd be a good girl and give me what I want?"

She was speechless. Not only did she forget how English worked, but she was so profoundly terrified by the proposition that she had no idea how she even wanted to answer. In theory... _good Lord_ did she want to, but...

He sat up when it became clear he'd reduced her to little more than a gaping fish. Smiling at her affectionately as she continued to flounder, he sweetly traced her cheekbone and murmured, "You know what else is part of being a good girl? Telling me when you're _not_ ready for something."

Her shoulders sagged in relief. "Oh thank God. I just - I've never done that before and -"

"You don't have to explain anything to me," he assured her. "Ever. And you don't ever have to even consider doing something you're not comfortable with. Remember your traffic light idea? What would that have been, just now?"

She thought for a moment. "Yellow." Not a never, just a not right now.

He nodded, leaning in and kissing her sweetly before trailing his lips closer to her ear. "Now what if I lay you back and ask you to let me hear every single sweet little noise that tries to leave that pretty mouth of yours? And I promise to only stop when you tell me to? Can you give me a color?"

She smiled and replied almost a little dreamily, "Green. Like, super green."

He grinned and then moved them both, picking her up and depositing her on her back underneath him. They shared a little smile and then he was kissing her neck and she was closing her eyes, relishing the closeness between them and each kiss, each touch, each press of his weight on hers as he trailed his mouth ever lower, sweet little words of praise leaving his lips and making her entire body tremble.

She was so far gone by the time that he finally made it _there_ she was already nearly coming apart at the seams by the first touch. He was so beyond perfect, everything she could ever want in a man and more, and his patience and understanding and respect for her only made her fall even deeper for him.

Given how determined he was to take his time and thoroughly demolish her, it seemed that she would most likely be a zombie at work the next day after all. But that was perfectly fine with her, because being an incredibly happy, loved, treasured and exquisitely satisfied zombie was a fate she would gladly and happily accept.


	22. Chapter 22

***pokes head around corner* HAAAAYYYYY GUYSSSSS AAAHHHHHH I FINALLY GOT ANOTHER CHAPTER OUT. Not gonna lie, started this forever ago and then procrastinated like crazy and then today had a audden burst of productivity and wrote a HUGE amount of this and now it's 4 AM but YOLO right? Anyway, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE WELL WISHES AND CONGRATS, every single message really made my day/week! I got some PMs too that I haven't gotten back to yet because I SUCK but I will and I love you all! I'm doing very well, and we found out earlier this month that the baby's a girl! This will be my second little girl, so hooray for all things pink! (I actually personally hate pink so the jokes on me being constantly surrounded by pink and unicorns and rainbows lol) Anyway yeah, I love you all and im sorry this chapter took so long, but the next one should come a little bit faster. Or at least it had BETTER. Lol. My thanks to midnightwings96 for being amazing as always and just making each chapter better with her insight and suggestions, and also shout out to MorningGlory2 who is probably having a heart attack as she wakes up and sees this update because I gave her no warning lol (I love you, lady :p) (in fact I love BOTH LADIES. AND EVERYONE READING THIS. YAYYYYY LOVE omg it's late and I need sleep lol). ANYWAY. I shall see you guys soon! Thank you all again and let me know what you think :)**

It was a cool, dreary February day in New York City, but that didn't stop Summer from sucking down her second frappucino of the day to avoid the afternoon slump at work. She was in her office, alternating between phone calls and emails, high heeled feet on the desk half the time as she talked to multiple clients and a few vendors to coordinate an upcoming event. Fueled by caffeine and fake sugar, she watched the clock tick by and waited for the all-important 5 o'clock hour to arrive and set her free from another day at work.

Despite her coffee intake suggesting otherwise, she wasn't actually all that tired on that particular day. She'd gotten a full night's sleep the night before, mostly because Bucky had been out all night taking care of, she presumed, typical late night mafia things, so she had been able to curl up in his bed and actually spend the night sleeping for once. Not that she'd dare complain about hers and Bucky's usual late night activities, but occasionally... sleep was a good thing.

He had slipped in bed with her around 4 AM, waking her up only slightly as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her neck softly. He texted her later that morning that she had babbled something about _Star Wars_ and scones in reply, but she had no memory of that. It didn't surprise her, though. _Star Wars_ and scones were serious business, after all.

Sleep deprivation aside, she truly had no real complaints these days. Things were relatively peaceful, she was completely adapted to the job and could do it in her sleep, and thanks to months of combat and weapons training, she was turning into a pretty darn good shot who could also hold her own in the training room. And most exhilarating of all, she was madly in love and smack dab in the middle of the most intense honeymoon phase of possibly all time.

Her anxiety and worries were still there, of course, along with the nagging little voice in her head that liked to tell her that none of this would ever last and that she was just setting herself up for unbearable sorrow down the road. But it was remarkably easy to ignore those things when she was as busy as she was and, in her free time, had very little time to think at all in between being romanced within an inch of her life.

Knocking back the rest of her coffee and again kicking her feet up on the desk next to her computer, she tossed the empty cup in a nearby trash bin and then took her Bluetooth piece out of her ear, setting it down on the desk and proceeding to yawn noisily even though she wasn't that tired. Once she was done, she heard a tap on her office door and looked up just in time to nearly fall out of her seat.

It would figure that the first time Bucky visited her office, it would be while she was camped out there like a slob, in her mind anyway, with a half-eaten sandwich sitting on her desk for good measure.

He strolled inside, the image of grinning perfection as always while she bolted upright and put her feet back on the floor, straightening out her skirt and hurriedly dumping the sandwich into the trash. He watched her flail about with great amusement, hands in the pockets of his sharp dark blue suit and hair down and combed back behind his ears, tone casual as he asked, "Busy?"

"Yeah, I mean, no," she replied, straightening up and smiling as she smoothed her hair down. "No, just... you know. The usual. I wasn't expecting you to drop by."

"I can tell," he chuckled. "I just finished up a meeting, figured I'd come down here and surprise you."

"... Well, mission accomplished," she smiled, getting up from her seat and again tugging down her skirt, which was on the shorter side. She was dressed for the weather in a well-fitted black blouse, black heels and tights paired with a short black and white skirt, but the way that he looked at her as she walked towards him made her feel as if she was wearing next to nothing. "By the way, I like the suit."

He grinned and pulled his hands free as she reached for him, pulling her close for a sweet little kiss that neither of them were satisfied with. A few kisses later, Bucky drew back an inch and made a quiet noise in his throat, prompting Summer to open her eyes and ask, "What?"

"... You taste like cinnamon and fake sugar," he grinned, stealing another kiss. "Starting to grow on me."

She smiled and kissed him again, almost letting herself get caught up before she remembered her office was quite visible through the windows. She abruptly drew away and muttered something about waiting a minute before scuttling to her door. She closed the blinds there and then did the same to all of her windows, all while her staff outside generously pretended not to notice. Once they were satisfactorily concealed within her office, she moved to turn around only to stop when there were suddenly hands on her hips and lips at her ear, holding her where she was as he murmured, "And here I thought you might try to play innocent and act like you didn't know why I was here."

She blushed and melted against him, smiling and admitting, "Well... I really missed you last night, so..."

He groaned lightly and kissed her under her ear. "Missed you too, sweetheart. Trust me, I would have much rather been in bed with you. Almost couldn't bring myself to let you fall back asleep when I did finally come to bed."

She turned in his arms, wrapping hers around his neck and smiling, "Oh really?"

"Mhm," he nodded, brushing her hair behind her ears. "But then I figured... I could just come here this afternoon and fuck you over your desk instead."

She froze and immediately felt a barrage of shivers racing down her spine. She just might never get used to this, and she was perfectly okay with that. "I... oh."

He smirked at her reaction, then drew away to pull her across the room by her hand. He walked them behind her desk, then took a seat in her chair and gave her hand a tug, looking up at her expectantly. "Come on, baby."

Already reduced to little more than a useless puddle of goo, Summer did as he said and took a seat on his lap, straddling him as her heart began to race with anticipation. His hands smoothed over her hips and he looked her over very appreciatively as he asked, "Have you thought about this before? Here?"

Her instant blush and somewhat guilty expression quickly tipped him off as to the truth. "Yeah, you... you could say that."

"Tell me," he said, reaching up to start undoing the buttons of her shirt.

She looked down and watched as he slowly opened her shirt, exposing the lace bra underneath. "I... um..."

His eyes flashed up to hers. " _Summer_."

She bit her lip and tried not to panic. She'd already given too much away and there was no getting out of it now. "I just... don't be mad at me, okay?"

A faint furrow of his brows belied his confusion at such a concept. "I won't be."

She sighed and took a deep breath. "That time Aemilia gave me, um... seduction lessons in her office. I was... very frustrated at the time and it was... _really_ hot. Like for a minute I thought she was gonna actually... _anyway_. So I came back here and I was dying and I had to... um..."

"Get yourself off?" Bucky ventured, tone heated. "In this seat?"

She nodded. Might as well come all the way clean. "... Twice."

He swallowed, shifting underneath her and letting her feel how hard he already was. "And why the fuck would that make me mad?"

She took another breath and forced her answer out. "Because I sort of... thought about you both?"

For a moment, he remained impressively stoic. But then his lips stretched into a grin and he let out a deep rumble of a chuckle as he replied, "Trust me, Summer... you fantasizing about a woman will never do anything but make me want you even more."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Really?"

He nodded, ridding her of her shirt entirely and letting it drop to the floor. "But I _will_ be pretty fucking pissed if you don't tell me every last detail of what you thought about."

... She had been afraid of that. As she wondered how in the world she was going to put it all to words without also requiring serious medical attention after, he quickly unfastened her bra and left her upper half bare, his mouth and hands pouring attention on her breasts as her hands went to his hair and her mind began to run wild with both desire and anxiety. She should have known that he wouldn't have been angry in the least but instead insanely turned on and determined to unravel the inner workings of her little fantasy.

He worked her up as expertly as he always did, her hips squirming and body singing for him by the time he raised his head and pulled her in for a deep, consuming kiss that almost made her forget her own name. Then, once she was thoroughly befuddled, he gave her hips a nudge and said, "Turn around in my lap. I'm gonna help you through this."

Too needy to bother asking why, she did just as he said and rested back against his still-fully clothed chest. His hands directed her legs further apart, and she had no choice but to prop her heels up on the edge of the desk for support. Then he rubbed his palms up and over her inner thighs through her tights, murmuring heatedly in her ear, "Now tell me about your little fantasy. Don't leave out any details and I'll let you come as many times as you want."

... _God_. His fingers tripping up under her skirt, teasing her through the two thin layers of fabric underneath, she shuddered and closed her eyes and he asked, "Had you thought about women before?"

She nodded, letting out a shaky breath. His fingers stopped immediately.

"Use your words like a good girl."

His command made her entire body erupt in goosebumps. "Yes," she quickly choked out. "Yes I had."

"A lot?"

"... Sometimes," she replied, holding back a moan as his fingers started moving again and his free hand grasped one of her breasts to start teasing it mercilessly. "Depends... depends on the mood."

"Ever fucked around with a girl?"

She shook her head. "No. Never even kissed one."

"But you'd like to, wouldn't you?" he surmised, nipping at her earlobe. "Tell me the truth."

" _Yes_ ," she admitted, grinding back against his lap as she chased his touches. It wasn't enough, but it was glorious and she was absolutely _dying_.

"Did you wish Aemilia had taken it further?" he pressed.

"Yes, but... I wouldn't have done that because of you," she replied. "That was what she said, too. She said..." she gulped and shuddered as he removed his hand just long enough to slip it beneath her clothes at last. The first touch on her bare skin was pure electricity.

"What did she say?"

"She said... Lukas wouldn't have minded but you might have," she finally said.

"... She get you wet?" Bucky asked, the mere question making her gush even more on his fingers.

Summer nodded. "Y-yeah."

" _Fuck_ ," Bucky groaned, grinding up against her ass to try to find some relief of his own as she began to writhe on top of him. "So then you came back here, and then what?"

Her face nearly exploded in her resulting furious blush. "... Sat down and pulled my dress up and... thought about..."

His fingers picked up the pace, and she struggled to maintain a coherent train of thought. "Tell me. Give me fucking details because I know how vivid that imagination of yours can get."

"I just... _oh God_ ," she whimpered, gripping the armrests for dear life. "I imagined... you watching us."

"Watching you do what?" He sounded desperate for more details.

"... Everything," she admitted. "Kissing, touching each other..."

"Going down on each other?"

She nodded, unbearably close to the edge already.

"How'd it end? What image did you come to?"

She was too far gone to hardly care anymore. She told the truth as best as she could. "You... touching yourself... watching while she rode me into the bed... you know... rubbing our..."

"... Fucking scissoring you and making you scream while I fucking watched," Bucky growled, summing it all up rather nicely. From the sound of things, he was picturing it just as vividly as Summer had.

She was an utter wreck. She couldn't take anymore, so she all but begged, "Can I please -"

" _Yes, God,_ fucking come for me," he demanded in turn, and she was already shaking in his arms before the words were even out. She would have screamed out loud had he not slapped his hand across her mouth just in time, saving her inevitable embarrassment when her staff outside would have undoubtedly heard.

She came down slowly, body trembling with aftershocks as Bucky gently removed his hand from her mouth. Her head resting back on his shoulder, she turned towards him and he kissed her long and deep before she could so much as open her eyes. She might have been a little embarrassed about all that she had copped to had she not been awash in a flood of happy hormones and had she not known just how much her little tale had turned on her husband. Stepping outside of her comfort zone seemed more than worth it when it came to that.

When their kiss broke at last, Bucky didn't go far. His hands roamed her body lazily, cupping her breasts as his nose brushed hers and he told her lowly, "You're fucking _perfect_ , you know that?"

Summer smiled a little dreamily and opened her eyes to gaze up at him. "No, but if you think so... that's good enough for me."

"And I can't believe I thought you'd be mad," he sighed.

"Well, you're pretty possessive sometimes and... I just..."

"I am possessive," he acknowledged, stealing another short kiss. "But that doesn't mean I would mind sharing you with her."

Summer blinked, not having expected that at all. "Really?"

He nodded, then added casually, "Nat said she'd fuck you too, if she had the chance."

Summer's eyes widened. " _Really_? She said that?"

Bucky grinned and sat up, easing her upright along with him. Looking her in the eye and touching her soft, flushed cheek, he murmured, "Half the people in the manor would have raced each other to fuck you if you hadn't been my wife. You _do_ realize how fucking sexy you are, right?"

In lieu of a coherent answer, Summer merely followed his lead as he then stood and pulled her to her feet, their bodies facing each other as he walked her back towards the desk. "Trust me," he said as her back hit the desk, leaning in and making her eyes fall closed with his proximity, "I'm not the only one who thinks that. But I _am_ the only one who gets to do this."

He then pulled down her skirt and everything underneath, down to her thighs before turning her around and roughly bending her over the desk. She went down with a yelp, clutching the desk and loving every minute of it, contact between them broken as Bucky removed his suit jacket and tossed it aside. Then he loosened his tie with one hand while the other made quick work of his belt, all while he admired the rather gorgeous and needy sight she made, dripping wet and waiting for him.

The waiting coupled with feeling and being so exposed, and hearing the sounds of his clothes being shifted around made Summer's body all but hum with a nerve wracking anticipation. She fought the urge to look back and then almost screamed when he finally touched her, just two of his fingers trailing lazily down her spine like they had all the time in the world.

"Better try to stay quiet, baby," he chided her. "Your whole staff's right outside, and that door isn't even locked."

She whimpered and dropped her forehead on the cool, hard wood. How had she managed to forget the fricking lock?

Both hands wrapping around her hips, he pushed his against hers and she shuddered at the sensation - bare skin on skin, his hardness rubbing against her as if to tease. "Think you can be quiet while I fuck all those pretty little noises out of you?"

She whimpered and pushed back against him, trying to guide him where she needed him, but he didn't let her just yet. " _No_."

He chuckled, one hand sliding up her back and into her hair, guiding it all out of her face so that he could see her. "Well, every time you make a sound... I'll stop. So if you wanna come, you better be good and stay quiet."

She groaned but accepted her fate, the challenge far from what she was used to. Normally he wanted her to be as loud and vocal as she possibly could be, but this time she had to do the opposite or risk not only embarrassment but unbelievable frustration.

And all the little game did was turn her on even more.

"All right, sweetheart," he said, finally aligning them just right. "Better hold on tight."

Hold on tight she did. And when he finally, finally slid inside of her, it took all of her self control not to moan out in pure satisfaction. Instead she exhaled shakily and gritted her teeth, nails already digging ineffectually into the wood even though they'd barely gotten started. She heard Bucky make a low, quiet noise of pleasure before he tightened his grip on her hips and then withdrew just far enough to be able to slam back in. The desk shook and Summer almost yelped, but she stayed silent by nothing short of a miracle.

"Good girl," Bucky purred, hand smoothing up her back as he fell into a rhythm. It was neither too slow nor too fast, and it was just hard enough that Summer bumped a little painfully against the desk with each new thrust. To her surprise, she liked it like that just like she always liked it when he handled her a little more roughly than any man ever had before. It blew her mind a little bit because she never thought herself to be that sort of woman, and yet here she was, being bent over and pounded into a desk and using all of her self control to keep from wailing in pleasure and begging him to take her even harder.

Sometimes she wondered if she was just different went it came to him, or if this was who she really was and she had him to thank for drawing that side of her to the surface. But now wasn't the time to debate such a concept.

Instead, Bucky very nearly made her break her silence by suddenly and unexpectedly yanking her up and against his chest, which she only then realized was still fully clothed. Not breaking his increasingly merciless rhythm by a longshot, he held her up and groaned deep in her ear as she scrambled her hand to his hair, holding on and trying to keep her knees from giving out on her entirely. It wasn't fair - _he_ could make those low, breathy noises but she couldn't.

"You're doing so good," he murmured in her ear, in between kissing and marking her neck for later. " _So, so good_ for me, baby. My good girl."

Her eyes nearly rolling to the back of her head, she kept in her inner moan by digging her nails into the back of his neck and his arm, the latter of which was draped across her chest. She hadn't even realized she was holding it in a death grip until her nails sunk in and Bucky hissed in reply but not in pain.

"Harder," he murmured, and Summer nearly lost her damn mind as she complied. She gave his hair a good yank as well, and that prompted him to let out a primal noise and then shove her back down on the desk, losing any pretense of control that he previously had and taking her like it might be the last time he ever got to.

This time, he kept one of his hands entwined with hers on the desk, pinning her there while his other hand slipped between her legs to start frantically pushing her to the edge. He covered her body with his, kissing her upper back and shoulders and leaving a little trail of tiny bite marks here and there, the faint stings of each one feeling like heaven and only driving her even more insane.

It was too much, and she couldn't hold back anymore. She buried her face in the crook of both of their arms and used it as a muffler when Bucky told her to let go and to let herself come for him. She obeyed as if she didn't have a choice and she didn't go silently either, but the sound was faint and sufficiently muffled as she was overcome by the intense, mind blowing pleasure that all of that teasing and torment had wrought. Bucky was right behind her, quieting his own euphoric sounds with a harsh but not unwelcome bite between her neck and shoulder. As quiet as he was, he still sounded gruff and overwhelmed and _amazing_ , and Summer didn't think that she could have asked for a better late afternoon office surprise.

All their strength leaving their bodies for a few long moments, Summer breathed hard with her eyes closed and body curled around the desk as Bucky let his weight atop of hers. He took some time to catch his breath, his hands wandering gently and idly along her body in the process, and Summer was surprisingly already half asleep by the time that he drew away and then pulled her backwards with him. He ended up in her chair and her on his lap, their bodies still joined and neither of them taking any steps to change that just yet.

She leaned her head back on his shoulder, eyes still closed, and Bucky kissed her cheek before turning her face his way and laying a sweet, amazingly tender kiss on her lips. It was quite the change after the ravishing he'd just unleashed upon her, and after the kiss she opened her eyes and smiled up at him in a wonderful daze.

" _God_ , I love you," he said a little breathlessly, sheer adoration evident in his blue eyes and nothing but truth in his tone. The sincerity and sweetness behind those words took her by surprise, and she blinked up at him before her smile grew even bigger.

She was _so incredibly_ in love with this man. "I love you too."

He then laid a tiny, adorable little kiss on her nose that made her giggle, and after another moment or two of soaking each other up and remaining oblivious to anything outside of their little bubble, Bucky took a breath and then sighed, "As much as I hate saying this, someone really might come knocking any minute, so... you should probably get dressed."

"... Oh." It was extremely true - she was, for all intents and purposes, naked except for the clothes shoved down somewhere around her knees. If any of her staff poked their head inside the office, they'd likely never look either Summer or Bucky in the eye ever again. "Yeah. Guess I should."

Bucky grinned at her and reluctantly pulled his hands away from her body as she just barely managed to make her way off of his lap and to her feet. Her legs were still shaky and she felt a little self conscious putting herself back together in front of him for some reason. She knew it was silly and that she had no reason to feel that way, but she supposed old habits died hard. Once she'd fixed her tights and her skirt, she grabbed her bra from the floor and, once it was back on, peeked at Bucky over her shoulder. He hadn't bothered to fix his own clothes just yet; instead he'd been simply admiring the sight of her redressing just a few steps in front of him.

She smiled at him and blushed. He grinned back and finally stood up himself, hands reaching down to fix his pants as she pulled her blouse back on.

It was at that exact moment that they both heard a tap at the door. Summer had just enough time to whip her head around and look at the door with suddenly wide eyes before it opened to reveal none other than a rather harried looking Aemilia, who didn't even look twice at either her or Bucky as she stepped inside and closed the door shut behind her.

"Hey," she said with an expression of pure anxiety while Summer wrapped her blouse shut tightly around her, "is everything at home ready for the shower?"

Summer stared at Aemilia for a few seconds before her brain comprehended the question. "Oh! Oh, yeah, yeah. I set up most everything this morning before work and then Lizzie and Frieda finished up for me. Everything's ready."

"Good," Aemilia sighed. "I'm sorry, it's just that my mother's plane is landing and I'm leaving to go pick her up and I'm having a bit of a fit."

"Oh," Summer frowned, knowing very well by now that Aemilia's mother singlehandedly caused more anxiety in her daughter than possibly the entire Triad. She'd been dreading this visit for awhile now, and there was actual panic evident in her eyes. "Well, don't worry about the shower. Everything's set up perfectly and waiting for you. Do you need me to go with you to pick her up, maybe?"

"Oh, no," Aemilia shook her head. "No, no, that's okay. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure about that?" Bucky asked, nonchalantly tucking his shirt back into his pants and fixing his tie.

"... No," Aemilia conceded, "but I won't expose anyone else to her more than what is absolutely necessary. Really, don't worry about me. It could be worse. She could be bringing my stepfather."

"You mean your creepy ex fiancé?" Summer asked.

"Yes, him," Aemilia nodded. "At least it's only her. Her I can handle. At least that's what I keep telling myself. If I can handle the Triad and all the idiots over the years who've underestimated me, I can handle an overly Botoxed obnoxious hag, right?"

"Absolutely," Summer and Bucky both said in unison.

"And if she starts saying stupid stuff," Summer added, "just change the subject or... send me a text and I'll call you and pretend to have something really important to talk to you about that'll take up the entire rest of the trip."

"... That's a good idea," Aemilia nodded. "Right. I'll do that. Okay, I need to get moving. Thank you again for helping so much with the shower, I truly owe you."

Summer waved her off with a lighthearted scoff. "Oh please. It was fun. Now go and show your mom how much of a badass you are."

Aemilia cringed a little before plastering a smile on her face. "That's the plan. See you both at home. Oh," she paused as she reached for the doorknob, "by the way - you may want to borrow Darcy's bottle of Febreeze because it utterly reeks of sex in here."

Bucky simply grinned as if rather proud of himself while Summer froze with an awkward smile on her face. "Yeah... good, um... good... call."

Aemilia smiled. "Anyway, bye!"

Bucky and Summer bade her farewell before she turned and left, closing the door behind her and leaving silence in her wake. Summer stared at the door for a minute, still clutching her shirt closed, and then she wondered aloud, "Isn't weird that of all the people who could have showed up just then it was her? You know... after... uh..."

"... Yeah," Bucky agreed, hands finding her hips as he pressed his chest to her back and placed a kiss just under her ear. Then he murmured teasingly, "Just think, if she had shown up just a little bit earlier, maybe that fantasy of yours would have come true."

He then slipped away from her and began walking towards the door, maintaining eye contact with her all the while as her jaw dropped a little. "That's... that's not even funny."

"I wasn't joking," Bucky grinned, reaching for the the door. "Ride home with me?"

"Well that depends," Summer replied, quickly buttoning up her shirt. "Are we talking the usual presidential-level security detail or your motorcycle?"

"Tony's fixing it for me," Bucky sighed with mild irritation. "I busted it up pretty good last night."

"Really? Did you wreck it?" Summer asked, concerned. He clearly didn't have any injuries that would indicate such a thing.

"Ran a couple guys over and jumped off before it hit a truck," Bucky shrugged, as if he was describing accidentally breaking a mug or stubbing his toe. "So I'm stuck with a car today."

Summer blinked. "... Mother of Jesus."

He grinned and opened the door. "See you downstairs."

"Okay," she replied weakly, watching him leave in both admiration and general bewilderment. Once she was alone again, she looked down at herself and straightened her clothes before reaching up and touching her hair. It was a tangled mess of insanity, much like her brain most of the time, and she couldn't help but laugh a little at the absurdity of it all.

But it was the very best kind of absurdity in existence. Taking a breath and then setting about fixing her desk and all the items on it after the ordeal that it had endured, she smiled to herself and found herself unable to stop smiling for the rest of her time at the office.

If only every workday was like this, she would quite literally have the very best job in the world, of that she was sure.

* * *

Ever since Summer's life had been turned upside down by the Bratva, she'd learned to appreciate the little things in life and take as much joy in those things as she could. As a result, riding home from work with her husband had become one of the absolute highlights of her week, namely because it meant a solid half an hour - or more depending on traffic - of backseat cuddling and making out. It didn't happen every day, but she was always quite excited on the ones where it did.

All the way home on this particular day, the two lovers giggled and spoke softly to each other in between gentle and teasing kisses. Bucky had a habit of turning neck kissing into an art, making her shiver and want more and laugh all at once, and when their lips would meet and he would make her lose her breath, she'd marvel at how confident of a kisser he had become in recent weeks. It wasn't that he had been a poor kisser at first, but more than ten years of keeping his lips to himself had left him in need of practice to get back into the swing of things. And of course, Summer was all too happy to provide all the practice he could possibly want.

Now he did things with his tongue that made her toes curl, and he'd bite her lip here and there just to watch her giggle afterwards. There was no doubt that his mouth was simply incredible, whether it came to kissing or more intimate acts or uttering strings of profanity that could make a sailor raise his brows.

In simpler terms, commuting had never been so much fun. Summer was almost disappointed when they arrived back at the manor, at least until she remembered her duties as baby shower host and realized that Aemilia was likely already back home with her mother by then. As a result, she gave Bucky a quick kiss goodbye and darted out of the car, only to be happily and literally chased by him into the house and through the foyer. She giggled and he had fun reaching for her, trying to persuade her to make a detour upstairs with him, but she quietly rebuffed him and enjoyed every moment of it.

She was still giggling and he was just behind her, nuzzling her neck when they happened across the manor's main sitting room and a handful of quiet voices within it. Summer's brain returned the minute that she saw Aemilia standing there with two others, neither of which Summer recognized but quickly deduced the identities of.

Aemilia looked up and her shoulders visibly lightened at the sight of Summer and Bucky, as if she had been waiting for a savior or literally any other human being in the world to show up besides the ones currently in her company. Bucky quickly sobered and backed off of Summer to a respectable distance, and Aemilia plastered a convincing smile on her face and said, "Oh good, you're home. Mother," she gestured to the glamorous woman in front of her, "this is my very dear friend Summer."

Summer's eyes turned to the famous Ayre Montgomery, and as it turned out, the woman looked exactly as she had expected her to. She was reasonably tall, absolutely beautiful if a bit over-processed, and dripping in outwards signs of wealth - a designer dress, designer heels, jewelry all over and cleavage that had undoubtedly made some surgeon somewhere a richer man. She had rich dark brown hair, brown eyes, and she smiled excitedly as she reached forward to shake Summer's hand.

"Oh, I have heard all about you. It's wonderful to finally meet you!" Ayre gushed while Aemilia gave Summer a somewhat sympathetic look. "You have been the talk of the town for months, even all the way over in London."

"Really?" Summer asked, a bit dumbfounded by that. Then she shook herself, remembering her manners. "It's nice to meet you too. I hope your flight was okay?"

"Not exactly, but that's what vodka's for," Ayre replied with a wink. Then she glanced at Bucky and said, "Good to see you, James."

He gave her a noncommittal nod. "Ma'am."

Ayre sighed and threw a hand in the air. "Oh, for the love of - how many times must I ask that you not call me _ma'am_?"

Bucky didn't bother to respond, because a response wasn't particularly necessary. Then Ayre suddenly straightened and said, "Oh dear, I'm being so rude - this is my husband, Ivan."

Summer then politely shook the hand of the distinctly unappealing and uninviting man at Ayre's side, realizing at that exact moment that she actually _had_ brought her husband along and that this very man had once been Aemilia's _fiancé_. He was older and he looked his age, balding and face full of frown lines and hands as rough as sandpaper. He made Summer instantly feel uneasy even though he only nodded to her and briefly shook her hand, and afterwards Summer's eyes darted to Aemilia to find her fidgeting with her hands and so uncomfortable it made Summer want to scream on her behalf.

Summer didn't notice that the entire time she shook Ivan's hand, Bucky stood a bit closer to her.

After that awkward and silent introduction, Ayre then clasped her hands together and said excitedly, "So! When's the baby shower?"

"Less than an hour," Aemilia replied. "Everything is set up in the ballroom, as I understand it."

"Ah," Ayre nodded, glancing at her daughter and then smiling widely before reaching out and touching her by now very prominent baby bump. "I just can't believe how _big_ you are!"

"Well... that's sort of a common side effect of pregnancy," Aemilia chuckled, brushing Ayre's hand away.

"Right, but when I was pregnant with you, I didn't show at all until I was 8 months along!" Ayre then turned to Summer and continued her story before Aemilia could redirect the conversation. "It's true, nobody knew I was pregnant until I told them. Then they'd hardly believe me! I went all nine months without buying a single item of maternity clothing. I only gained 14 or 15 pounds the entire time."

Summer made a neutral _oh_ sort of sound just before Aemilia piped up, "You know doctors actually recommend now that most women gain between 25 and 35 pounds, sometimes more depending on the woman."

Ayre scoffed, waving her hand again. "Those 'recommendations' change just about every year, it seems. Like the whole 'back to sleep' nonsense - I put you to sleep on your belly as a baby every day and you were just fine."

Aemilia opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by Lukas at last arriving, striding into the room and running a hand through his apparently wind-swept hair. He ignored all the others and made a beeline for Aemilia, reaching for her and laying a quick kiss on her lips before saying, "I am so sorry that I'm late - I was absolutely trapped in a conference call with the office in Paris and I've never wanted so badly to tell someone to shove the entire Eiffel Tower up their ass before."

Aemilia smiled and took his hand in hers, entwining their fingers and assuring him, "It's completely all right. You haven't missed anything."

That was when Lukas finally bothered to acknowledge the elephant - or rather, _elephants_ \- in the room, turning his eyes on Ayre briefly before fixing a very deliberate glare upon Ivan. Then, without looking away, he said, "It's good to see you, Ayre."

"Oh, likewise as always, dear," Ayre smiled, and even Summer could tell that it was quite fake.

"I thought you were leaving your _husband_ behind in London," Lukas said, not bothering to hide his disappointment and loathing.

"I had business in New York," Ivan said, his thick Russian accent taking Summer by surprise for some reason. For as deeply involved in the Bratva as she was, she didn't come across a lot of actual Russian accents in her day to day life.

"Mm," Lukas muttered noncommittally. "Pity."

Summer looked from Lukas to Ivan, then to Ayre who took a breath and said, "Well, no worries - I'll have to send him off with the other men once the shower gets started anyway. No need to pretend there's a lack of awkwardness here, after all."

"Actually," Aemilia replied, "it's a coed shower."

Ayre blinked. "A what?"

"I will be at the shower," Lukas explained as if to a child, "along with other men and women whom Aemilia wished to attend. Your husband, however, is not on the guest list."

Ayre looked so confused and offended that the atmosphere in the room went from awkward to unbelievably uncomfortable within seconds. Summer's own anxiety began to spike just before Ayre looked at Aemilia and said, "Can I have a word with you alone?"

Aemilia sighed quietly but nodded and followed her mother to the opposite side of the room. Bucky then stepped in and intercepted Ivan, speaking to him in Russian and inviting him to the bar for a drink to get him away from Lukas before Ivan lost a limb. Once the two men were gone, Summer glanced at Ayre and Aemilia and then back to Lukas before scooting closer to him and whispering, "Is this already a disaster?"

Lukas frowned and crossed his arms. "I could kill that woman for bringing this sort of stress on Aemilia on a day that's supposed to be about her and our daughter. And the fact that she brought _him_... I could snap both of their necks."

Judging by his murderous tone, Summer didn't doubt that. As Aemilia and Ayre began to bicker at each other, Summer muttered, "You know, I've never seen her like this. She's been so... anxious and... like... kind of unsure of herself all day long."

"That's what Ayre does to her," Lukas said. "She knows how toxic the old hag is and she hates every moment she spends in her company, but Ayre is her mother and as much as she'd like to... she isn't quite ready to sever that relationship completely." He paused. "Unfortunately."

Summer frowned, and as Ayre's ranting became a bit louder, Summer realized that they were still arguing about Ivan's presence, or lack thereof, at the baby shower. Finding this absolutely ridiculous, Summer decided to step in and assert her authority as shower host before the night went to hell before a single present had been opened.

"Excuse me, but can I just interject something here?" Summer asked, politely interrupting the quiet argument after making her way to the two women. With both Ayre and Aemilia's attention on her, Summer then said, "I'm hosting this baby shower, and I've worked pretty hard with Lukas' mother over the last month to make sure that this party is perfect and everything Aemilia could possibly want in a shower. I also manage events for a living at Pierce Consolidated, so I know what I'm doing. And the guest list for the shower is non-negotiable."

Ayre sighed. "But Ivan is my husband. If other husbands are invited -"

"Then other husbands are invited, because the shower is about Aemilia and what she wants and literally nothing else," Summer said, putting on her stern professional tone that she often used with testy vendors who tried to charge her double at the last minute. "And anyone who can't respect that will be removed from the guest list."

Aemilia gave Summer a grateful and impressed little smile as Ayre rolled her eyes and threw up a hand in defeat. "Fine. But for the record, I think this is -"

"Mother," Aemilia interrupted, "I'm sure you're tired and irritated from your flight, so why don't you go to the bar and grab a drink and relax until the shower begins?"

Ayre paused. "I _could_ use a drink, now that you mention it." Then she blew out a breath and touched Aemilia's cheek, pouting a little as she added, "I'm sorry, I really don't mean to be a pain, especially not on your special day. I just want you to be happy."

"Well, I _am_ happy," Aemilia smiled, again brushing Ayre's hand away. "I'm happier than I've ever been."

Ayre smiled in reply, almost convincingly but not quite. Then she touched one of Aemilia's auburn curls laying on her shoulder and asked, "Are you ever going to straighten these?"

Aemilia sighed and rolled her eyes. "Drink, mother."

"Right," Ayre nodded, quickly turning and sweeping out of the sitting room, heels clicking noisily all along the way. She didn't spare Lukas a single glance in the process, and he preferred it that way.

Once she was gone, Aemilia let out a relieved breath and told Summer quietly, " _Thank you._ "

Summer nodded, putting her arm around Aemilia and replying, "You weren't kidding. She really _is_ horrible."

"Oh trust me," Aemilia said in a way that was both resigned and slightly miserable, "you haven't seen anything yet."

And the sad thing was, that statement turned out to be very, very true.

* * *

Before the shower began, both Summer and Aemilia changed out of their work clothes and into more photogenic and comfortable outfits, and Summer was absolutely positive that Aemilia would outshine all others even before she saw her all refreshed and ready. And once she did see her, she had to slap a hand to her chest to keep from swooning.

Aemilia wore a quite low cut but tasteful soft coral maxi dress with floral details, long sleeved and conservative aside from the generous flash of cleavage that the dress provided. It was perfect because it was just the right amount of gorgeous and playful, and of course reflected the fact that Aemilia would never be one to be boring or predictable. She wore her curls down and free to tumble over her shoulders, and the first words out of Summer's mouth were, "You're literally so pretty I want to die."

"Oh please," Aemilia brushed her off, though she smiled quite happily in reply as well. "I look like I'm smuggling two basketballs and a watermelon under here."

Trying not to outwardly gawk at the other woman's chest, Summer replied, "I mean... if that's true, it's the best looking basketballs and watermelon I've ever seen."

Aemilia giggled and then said, "Oh, look at you! You look like the embodiment of your name, actually - is it romper season already?"

"Probably not for another, like, three weeks," Summer shrugged, "but this building is warm and this is comfortable so I don't care." She was indeed quite comfy in her cute little romper, royal blue with colorful pink floral details and playful yellow flats to go with it. She'd tossed her her hair up and tied a little pink ribbon around it for added cuteness and to match the girly theme of the shower, and after checking the time on her phone, she raised her eyebrows and said, "Oh - time to go! Can't be late to your own baby shower!"

After Summer hooked her arm in Aemilia's to lead her away from her room and down the stairs, Aemilia asked, "Is Lukas waiting with the others?"

"Yeah, last I saw he was standing guard to make sure your creepy ex fiancé-slash-stepdad wasn't gonna crash the party," Summer replied. "But I talked to Bucky and he said that from what he gathered, Ivan just went to a guest room to crash for the night. So I think we're safe."

"Oh thank God," Aemilia sighed as they began to descend the staircase. "Can you believe that once upon a time I thought I was going to be forced to have sex with that man on a regular basis?"

Summer visibly shuddered. "See, _that_ man is what I imagined when I found out I was being married off to a mobster. Like literally, down to the accent and creepy dead eyes and bald head. I can't even imagine what you went through."

"Well, actually, you _can_ ," Aemilia pointed out. "Just because Bucky turned out to be beautiful and you fell in love doesn't mean you don't know exactly how I felt in the beginning. It's horrible and the fact that my own mother was behind it and then married him herself..."

Now at the bottom of the staircase, Summer paused and turned to Aemilia with a serious and sincere expression. "Listen, I mean it - if she at any point is making this shower miserable for you or even looks at you the wrong way or just does anything to make this suck - say the word and I will call the bouncers in and she will be tossed out."

Aemilia grinned, amused. "Bouncers?"

"Sam and Thor are the official baby shower bouncers," Summer nodded. "One nod from me - or you - and the deed will be done."

"... Well, isn't this just the most badass baby shower ever," Aemilia giggled.

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet," Summer smiled excitedly. "Come on, let's go."

And go they did, making their way to the ballroom and up to the closed double doors that stood in front of it. Summer gave Aemilia one last big, giddy smile before opening the doors and guiding her best friend into baby paradise.

Aemilia's jaw dropped and her expression became one of pure delight and excitement once she saw what Summer, Frieda and Lizzie had put together for her. While she had initially tried to tell the women that she wanted something small and simple, she didn't protest when it became clear that none of them - especially Frieda and Summer - were willing to plan anything even remotely conservative for her. This was their dear, precious Aemilia after all, who had overcome a previous pregnancy loss and, more recently, a gunshot wound to be standing where she was today, and the shower would be a reflection and celebration of that.

And it was absolutely massive, dripping in beautiful shades of pink, purple and aqua, and while Summer would never admit it to Aemilia, it had cost more than the average wedding.

"Speechless, darling?" Lukas asked, appearing at Aemilia's side and taking her free hand. He kissed it as she looked up at him with a big smile on her face, and then he looked at Summer and winked, "I told you she'd love it."

"I'm... actually crying a little bit," Aemilia said with sudden realization, dabbing at her eyes and trying to hold herself together. "This is just..." She paused and suddenly noticed one of the largest items in the room, which was sitting next to the gift table. "... There is a massive stuffed bunny rabbit with a pink bow around the neck."

"Yes," Lukas agreed, "it nearly touches the ceiling."

Summer leaned in and whispered, "I'd tell you who it's from, but you've gotta wait for the gift part of the shower."

Aemilia giggled and nodded, then excitedly and with both Summer and Lukas' hands in hers stepped further into the room and towards the family and friends waiting to literally shower her with gifts. Frieda and Thor were the first to envelope her in massive hugs, followed by Bucky (who laughed when he found it difficult to properly hug her given her big round belly in the way) and then Natasha. Steve was present too, and when Lukas winked at him seemingly suggestively while Aemilia hugged him, Summer made a mental note to ask about that later.

The sad thing was, the most awkward and stiff hug of all came from, unsurprisingly, Ayre. She very loudly told Aemilia how much she loved her, however, very much trying to maintain or perhaps invent a mother of the year image, but Aemilia quickly moved on and Summer took it upon herself to show off all of hers and Frieda's hard work.

Besides the massive and overflowing gift table, there were decorations galore including fresh flowers that matched the soft girly colors all over the room and provided a lovely subtle fragrance throughout the space. Then there was catered food and mini desserts courtesy of one of Aemilia's very most favorite restaurants, which left her so beyond excited and instantly starving that Summer had to literally drag her away from all the goodies while she continued the tour. Next was a game station where all the cheesiest and silly shower games would be played, because that was simply a basic requirement of any decent shower, and then - to Aemilia's amusement most of all - there was even an open bar, but not the kind that one might expect. It was manned by one of Pietro's fellow Silvertongue bartenders, a girl in her 20's who also happened to be pregnant, and it was a strictly virgin bar.

"Because," Summer explained cheerfully, "you can't drink, so now all the rest of us get to suffer with you!"

Aemilia giggled adorably in reply while accepting a cute little pink frozen drink from the bartender. She took a sip and barely had time to compliment the girl on her girly virgin drink-making skills before she was being pulled away again, this time towards a photo booth - because, well, who didn't love a photo booth?!

Once Aemilia had been thoroughly immersed in all of the bells and whistles of her wonderfully ridiculous baby shower, Summer announced much to her relief that the first activity would be eating and drinking. Aemilia nearly moaned out loud at the mere mention of the word "food" and dashed off without so much as a word, the gourmet catering calling to her the way sirens supposedly called to sailors.

And with that, the moderately large group of folks present also migrated towards the food and spent the first portion of the party mingling and chatting. Summer stayed close to Aemilia and drank a strange but tasty aqua concoction from the bar, Bucky stayed by her side and playfully rebuffed an offer from Lukas to handfeed him some kind of bite-sized slice of cheesecake, and Ayre managed to get herself in trouble impressively quickly.

While the woman had gotten everything she wanted in terms of financial security and position in society through her marriage, there were certain things that her marriage was sorely lacking and it didn't take a detective to figure out what one of those things was. It became especially evident as she sipped a purple drink and eventually began rather openly ogling one of the other attendees.

Pietro was in the middle of a fierce debate with Tony and Wanda over the superiority of _Star Wars_ versus _Star Trek_ , and he was a bit more spirited than usual on that particular day, which resulted in others being drawn into the debate. Once it spread to Sam and Lukas, Pietro took to listening rather than yelling about the emotional complexity of Spock and Ayre causally made her way a little closer to him. He didn't notice, as he had no reason to, but he had no choice to once she literally bumped into him - boob-first, which in her case, felt like being smacked into by two moderately sized boulders.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she immediately smiled once he finally looked up and noticed her presence. She batted her eyelashes and patted him on the shoulder, eyebrows rising as she noted, "I'm just so clumsy, and wow... running into you was like running into a brick wall!"

"Oh," Pietro said, smiling back politely. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

"Oh, it's all right," Ayre grinned, and on Pietro's other side, Wanda's eyes narrowed when the woman quite shamelessly threw her shoulders back so as to more prominently display her chest. She then extended her hand and said, "I'm Ayre."

Pietro paused, and during that pause Lizzie appeared just in the nick of time and intercepted Ayre's hand, taking it and pulling her away while quietly explaining, "And that is Pietro Maximoff, who just so happens to be Frieda Orlov's boyfriend and as off limits as a guy can possibly be."

Ayre's eyes widened. She whipped her head around and looked at Pietro first, then at Frieda who was with Aemilia and had seen the whole exchange from mere feet away. If looks could kill, Ayre wouldn't merely be dead - she'd be incinerated.

"... Well, bollocks," Ayre sighed.

"Indeed," Lizzie nodded. "In fact, every dude here right now is pretty much either married, committed or gay, so..." She held up a fresh new drink and chirped, "Frozen grapefruit non-martini?"

Meanwhile, Aemilia swallowed a huge mouthful of food and turned to Frieda apologetically. "I am so, so sorry. My mother is a cow and a whore."

Summer blinked. "God, she's a whore cow?"

Frieda sighed and placed her hand on Aemilia's shoulder. "It's all right, darling. And you are incontrovertible proof that sometimes the apple does in fact fall very, very far from the tree."

Aemilia smiled and replied, "Well, I prefer to think that I just rolled away from the first tree and found a much better one."

Not too far away, Bucky was eyeing his virgin "margarita" with seething disdain while Lukas stared at Steve in great concentration and clearly pondering something. Steve nibbled on a tiny piece of carrot cake and Lukas finally asked, "Someone is finally fucking you on a regular basis, aren't they?"

Steve choked on the cake and Bucky looked up from his drink in confusion. Lukas merely blinked and added, "What? It's obvious, isn't it?"

After coughing and blushing up a storm, Steve sputtered, "Even if that was - even if - how the hell would you even _know_ -"

"Ha!" Lukas crowed. "I knew it. I'm never wrong. I always know, don't I, James?"

Bucky blinked at Lukas and then turned back to Steve. "So, Carter?"

Steve sighed and rubbed at his forehead. "You know, now's not really the time or the place for -"

Bucky broke into a smile as Lukas all but cackled, and Steve huffed and put his hands on his hips. Bucky simply threw an arm around Steve and said, "It's all right. Congrats, pal. She's a fucking knockout. In every possible sense of the word."

"Indeed," Lukas agreed. "In fact, I imagine she'd dominate the living hell out of you."

Steve blushed deeper while Bucky nodded, then added, "And _her body_ is... damn impressive."

"I wonder who's breasts are bigger," Lukas wondered aloud, "hers or Summer's."

Bucky didn't hesitate. "Summer, hands down."

Steve paused. "Actually... I don't know about that."

"It might almost be a tie," Lukas said.

At that moment, Summer and Aemilia headed back over to their men and Summer asked, "What's a tie?"

"Oh," Lukas said nonchalantly, "we were debating on whose breasts are bigger, yours or Director Carter's."

As Summer's eyes grew large, Aemilia laughed and took Lukas' arm as she said, "Such typical men. Leave them for five minutes and the conversation inevitably turns to boobs."

"Yes, well, I think both women might be equally gifted," Lukas replied as Steve continued to fidget and Summer's expression grew more comical. "But it's hard to say without having seen the evidence with my own eyes."

"Well, you could always ask next time we see her," Bucky replied dryly.

"Oh yes," Aemilia chuckled. " _Director, might you and Summer settle a debate for us and compare boobs_?"

Bucky chuckled. "Isn't that how porn starts half the time?"

"Only the ones worth watching," Lukas joked.

Then, as Summer continued to have no idea _what_ to say to all of that, Bucky grinned at her and then leaned in close to whisper, "For the record, yours are the best."

She blushed and smiled back at him, whispering in reply, "Well, I'm glad you think so."

"Mhm," he murmured back before leaning in for a short but sweet little kiss, and neither of them noticed how Steve was smiling at them until after it was over. "What?"

"Nothin'," Steve grinned. "It's just good to see you both so happy."

That made Bucky smile one of his rare and heart-meltingly genuine smiles, and Lukas replied, "Oh, dear God, you should _see_ them lately. It's like living in the middle of a Nicholas Sparks novel."

"Which, mind you," Aemilia said in a deliberately quieter voice, "is far preferable to the filthy soap opera my mother seems to be stuck in."

Lukas paused. "Why? What happened?"

Aemilia sighed and cringed. "She tried to hit on Pietro. I think she nearly dislocated one of his shoulders with her silicone."

Bucky's eyes widened and Lukas stared at Aemilia in disbelief. "You have got to be kidding me."

"If only," Aemilia shrugged. "I suppose Ivan isn't all he's cracked up to be."

As the little group collectively made a face at that, Summer then said, "Okay, well... on that note, I think it's time for games. What do you think, Aemilia? Games?"

Aemilia nodded. "Games, yes. Please take my mind off of my whore mother."

And that Summer did, directing Aemilia and the others to the game station. Frieda had given Summer and Lizzie free rein to choose the games that would be played, and Summer let Lizzie take over that task for the most part when it became clear her slightly wacky and embarrassing taste was perfect for choosing games that were usually designed to be weird, gross or embarrassing. They started with the most innocent one first.

All of the guests had been directed to bring a baby picture of themselves to the shower. These pictures were placed in a bowl, and on a cutesy little display was a corresponding picture of each guest all grown up. Summer then instructed them all to choose a picture from the bowl, at which point they'd have to guess which baby matched the grown ups.

Aemilia, being the guest of honor, went first. She drew a picture and then laughed to herself, holding it up to show the others and saying, "Well, now, this is entirely too easy."

Summer pouted. "Oh, come on! How is that the one that your hand randomly found?!"

Aemilia shrugged with a grin and then stuck the picture underneath the one of Lukas on the board. "I don't know, but I'd know that adorable face anywhere."

Lukas grinned and Frieda made an _aw_ sound, and then Summer gave Aemilia her prize - a bag of expensive chocolates, which Aemilia immediately opened and started sampling. The other guests followed suit, and almost nobody guessed any of the babies right. Bucky was one exception, having drawn Natasha and correctly matching her, but as Tony loudly exclaimed, "There's only so many redheads here! My blind grandma could have gotten that one right!"

"You don't have a blind grandma," Lizzie pointed out.

"No, but if I did, the point would still stand."

The toughest one to guess ended up being Lizzie herself, because for all of her blonde glamour and beauty, she had been an incredibly chubby baby with dark brown hair and about three chins. Scott drew her photo, and he took an entire ten minutes to figure out who to stick the picture on. In the end, he chose Tony of all people and missed out on the tasty chocolates that Aemilia and Bucky both refused to share with anyone.

After that game concluded, it was time for one of a more disgusting variety. For this one, Summer and Lizzie handed out five different newborn sized "dirty diapers", each one containing melted candy or chocolate in lieu of what one would normally find in a diaper. Then each diaper was passed around to each guest, who had to sniff the diaper and make a guess as to what the melted substance was. It was worth it for the mere fact of having photographic evidence of a bunch of scary mobsters sniffing foul-looking diapers.

Tony, Pietro and Natasha fared the worst and didn't guess any of the diapers right. On the other hand, Sam, Wanda and Thor did the best and guessed each one exactly right, down to each particular brand of chocolate. Bucky only got one right, and when Lukas teased him about it, Bucky shoved the diaper in his face and managed to smear some melted Hershey bar on his nose and cheek in the process.

The last and most universally enjoyed game was a variation of pin the tail on the donkey, but instead of a donkey, the guests had to pin a a picture of a baby on a cardboard cutout of Aemilia. Aemilia laughed so hard she cried when Summer came out carrying the huge thing, and she continued to laugh and stuff her face with chocolate as the game got underway. Lukas volunteered to go first, and he didn't miss his opportunity to make a suggestive comment when Summer tied a blindfold over his eyes. Neither Bucky or Aemilia could hear what he said, but they had no trouble imagining the nature of the remark after Summer blushed and then smiled as she handed him the baby picture.

Lukas missed the mark, but not by too terribly much. He simply aimed too low, and when everyone started laughing while he took the blindfold off, he looked at where he'd pinned the "baby" and rolled his eyes and gave a laugh himself.

"Well, I mean, he's not technically wrong," Lizzie pointed out. "The baby will eventually get there once she's on her way out!"

Thor and Natasha went next, and they pinned the baby on Aemilia's hair and chest, respectively. Next went Scott, who managed to pin the baby squarely on Aemilia's left boob, and when Ayre took her turn, she missed entirely and got the blank space next to Aemilia's back. The only ones to actually get in the vicinity of Aemilia's belly was Bucky, who definitely enjoyed teasing Lukas about having superior aim, as well as Frieda and Esteban. Esteban's attempt was so perfectly centered that he got the biggest prize, which was a bottle of very fine wine that he proceeded to then guard with his life for the remainder of the night.

Short of Ayre's little snafu that had resulted in Frieda still sending her icy glares every chance she got and, quite possibly, laying on the PDA more than usual with her much younger man, the shower was moving along smashingly in Summer's opinion. Everyone was in good spirits and getting along fairly well even without the aid of alcohol, and when it was time for the best part - the gifts - Summer couldn't tell who was more excited, herself or Aemilia.

The gift table was fully stocked and overflowing, and fully taking it all in made Aemilia feel a twinge of guilt. After all, she was wealthy in her own right and could have easily afforded it all on her own, and there were countless mothers out there just barely scraping along, and here she was in the middle of a lavish baby shower that cost more than most people's rent for possibly an entire year, even before the guests.

Lukas could see the slight discomfort on her face, so he went to her side and took her hand and leaned in to whisper, "You deserve all of this and more. Never doubt that."

"But it's just so much," Aemilia whispered back.

"Yes, but the things themselves are not the point," Lukas pointed out. "The point is the people who bought them for you to show how much they care and love you. And how much they care for our daughter already."

Aemilia smiled and laid her head on his shoulder. "You always know exactly what to say to make me feel better."

"Of course I do," he replied, kissing her temple. "I'm brilliant that way."

"All right, so," Summer said as she assumed command of the gift table and Aemilia got comfortable in her seat near it, "I think by default... the first present should be this giant bunny."

Aemilia giggled and stood up to inspect the bunny, saying, "This thing has been following me with its eyes all night long. I'm dying to know who's responsible for this." She then checked the tag hanging from the bunny's massive paw, then read aloud, "With love from the greatest person your little spawn will ever know... Tony." She then looked at Tony and started cracking up.

Tony gave a mock bow. "We might as well just pack it all up now and go home, 'cause nothing's beating my bunny."

"Good thing you picked a rabbit and not a cat," Bucky observed. "Otherwise you would have bought their daughter a giant pussy."

Tony didn't miss a beat. "I'm saving that for when they have a boy."

Aemilia thanked Tony with a hug and an assurance that she would make sure the possibly terrifying bunny would go in the baby's room. After that, Aemilia officially began digging into the more reasonably sized gifts, and even with her mother's annoying commentary here and there, she still managed to have a blast.

Natasha got her a top of the line jogging stroller in purple and black, along with a pair of little tiny baby "running shoes" for the baby to wear and match Aemilia when she exercised. Sam's gift was an adorable picture frame with three different spots for an ultrasound picture from each trimester. The thoughtfulness of the gift made Aemilia genuinely tear up a little bit, and Sam explained that he'd gone to Babies R Us the week prior and wandered around in a mixture of terror and bewilderment before finding the gift and praying that it was good enough. To his relief, it definitely was.

Wanda and Pietro went in together for a gift, which was an adorable and insanely girly mobile for the baby's crib. Thor's gift was a personal and inexpensive one, a his old prized Mjolnir hammer toy from when he was a kid. As Aemilia held it and smiled so wide her cheeks hurt, Thor proclaimed that it was a token of love from the baby's favorite uncle. Bucky had been smiling too until that point, at which point he scowled at his apparent competition for the role of favorite uncle.

Darcy's present was one that had been on Aemilia's to-buy-very-soon list - an inflatable birthing ball. "I have no clue what that thing's supposed to actually do, but I asked my mom and she told me these things are a must, so yeah," Darcy shrugged, hoping her mom had been right.

"Oh yeah!" Aemilia nodded, quite happy with the gift. "I was going to go get one of these in the next few weeks! I will definitely use this getting ready for labor, and while I'm in labor too. It's supposed to help open up your hips and help the baby's position."

"... Gross," Tony chimed in humorously.

"These strange fads girls are into these days," Ayre interjected. "You _know_ once you get the epidural you won't be able to get out of bed, so just keep that in mind."

Aemilia smiled a little and replied, "Well, I plan on giving birth naturally without drugs."

Ayre's eyes widened in shock before her lips began to wobble and she suddenly burst out laughing. "You're joking, right?"

Aemilia tried her best not to roll her eyes. "Quite serious, Mother."

"... Are you insane?" Ayre asked. "I've _told_ you before - the minute you hit the Labor and Delivery floor, you get those drugs and get them fast. Why would you want to suffer when you don't have to?"

"Well, because for one thing, there's a lot of evidence that -"

"And you have no pain tolerance!" Ayre exclaimed. "Remember when you sprained your ankle in 7th grade and acted like you were dying? You think you can push out a baby without anything? Darling, you will be begging for the drugs the minute those contractions start, I _promise_ you."

Summer's jaw dropped and she stared at Aemilia in both shock and confusion. Was Ayre not aware of all that Aemilia had been through? Had Aemilia never told her of how close she and the baby both had come to death after the Triad's attack? Obviously Ayre didn't know about any of that, because if she had she never would have made such a ludicrous comment.

"Well, thank you for the vote of confidence, Mother," Aemilia sighed. "And I mean it, because that sort of attitude only motivates me even more to stick to my guns and labor the way that I want to."

Ayre made a face and waved a hand. "I just don't see the point. It would be like having surgery and refusing the anesthesia. Next you're going to tell me you're not going to give your kid vaccines, either."

"Yes, because natural childbirth is the same as refusing vaccines," Aemilia muttered. "Anyway, thank you, Darcy. I really appreciate the gift."

Darcy smiled and gave her the thumbs up. "You're welcome! Think of me as you sit on that thing."

Aemilia cracked a smile. "Oh I will."

"... And think about epidurals, too," Ayre added needlessly.

Summer couldn't take it anymore. "Well, I'll be there with her and if anyone within the one mile radius even says the word epidural in her presence, I'll tase them, so... anyway, moving on. Me next!"

With that not entirely smooth transition, Ayre finally shut up for awhile and the gift train got back on course. Next were Summer and Bucky's gifts, and Summer's gift was not a single item but rather a box overflowing with the frilliest dresses and bows that Aemilia had ever seen. Summer explained that she had been buying stuff ever since they found out the baby was a girl, because she couldn't help herself, and the mountain of pink and purple ruffles before Aemilia was what had resulted. The women all _oohed_ and _ahhed_ over each piece while the men tried not to fall asleep.

Bucky's gift was a lot less pink, and was in fact a collaboration with Tony even though in a rare move, he allowed Bucky to retain the credit. It was a custom made security system for the baby's room, including two HD baby monitors and motion sensors and alarms that would sync to not only the manor's overall security system but also Aemilia and Lukas' phones. Essentially, it was going to turn the nursery into Fort Knox because as Bucky explained, "That's my first step in making sure she's as safe as possible in this place." Aemilia got teary eyed again and hugged him so tight she actually cut off his breath a bit, and Summer caught quite the feels too because what was sexier than a man protecting his family?

After that, Ayre decided that she simply couldn't wait another moment and insisted her gift be given next. She plopped down next to Aemilia and excitedly handed her the gift, which was a rather huge one and appeared to be a gift basket of sorts covered in about three rolls of wrapping paper.

"Now, this might not be the fanciest gift you'll get," Ayre smiled as Aemilia started peeling off the layers, "but it'll definitely be the most useful."

"Okay," Aemilia chuckled, trying to give her the benefit of the doubt. Ayre had been known to give nice gifts before, and it was in fact one of the few things Aemilia could usually count on her for.

The last sheet of paper fell away and reveled a massive tower of a gift basket containing a full month's worth of formula and an entire year's supply of baby bottles with various attachments and designs. Ayre was all but bouncing in her seat in excitement and Aemilia reacted with wide eyes and a surprised, "Oh, wow! That's... wow. That's a lot of formula!"

"You'll go through it so fast!" Ayre told her. "But now you're all set for at least the beginning, and the bottles are just so cute. See the one with the seahorses?"

Aemilia smiled and glanced at Summer before nodding and saying, "Yes, it's very cute and this was very thoughtful of you. I do plan on breastfeeding, but if I ever need to supplement -"

"... _You are_?" Ayre asked in disbelief.

Aemilia paused, wondering why that statement was so shocking. "... Yes?"

"But you work," Ayre noted. "Only housewives are able to keep up with breastfeeding."

"That's not true," Aemilia replied. "A woman in my office has been pumping for her baby since she came back from maternity leave and he's almost 1. It's not easy but it's very possible."

Ayre looked around to see if anyone looked like they might agree with her, but between Lizzie and Frieda and all the men, everyone was looking at her like _she_ was the weirdo. She smiled uneasily. "Oh, well... I just think you'll make it harder on yourself. Having a baby is hard enough, but with that added burden... I couldn't have done it. I didn't even try, and you turned out fine. Not to mention you live with all of these _men_."

Suddenly, everyone's attention snapped into focus, Aemilia's most of all. She narrowed her eyes and asked, "And what is that supposed to mean?"

Ayre let out another of her fake little chuckles and waved a hand. "I think you know what I mean. I'm just not sure it would be particularly appropriate, considering."

Aemilia's blood pressure was dangerously close to rising. "Considering _what_?"

"Well, I just never took you to be one of those women who would just... let it all hang out!" Ayre retorted finally. "I honestly just wish that you would listen to me for once. Even when it comes to the epidural thing! I've already done this before, I know how to raise a child, and yet everything you want to do is the opposite of what I did. How do you think that makes me feel? I'm just trying to help you, especially after what happened to your first baby!"

If it had been anyone else in the entire world - _anyone else_ \- Aemilia would have had no problem in shutting them down for causing a scene and telling them exactly where they could shove their ignorant opinions. But Ayre was the one person who could make Aemilia's mind go blank and all her thoughts vanish into a cloud of mild panic, a reaction that she'd been helpless to control for years.

Everyone in the room was aghast that Ayre would bring up the miscarriage, but Bucky was the one who managed to say something first as he glared daggers at the woman. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

Ayre glanced at him and said, "With all due respect, this is between my daughter and I."

"The fuck it is," Bucky shot back. "It's my fucking house and this is a fucking _baby shower._ Have some damn decency."

Ayre pursed her lips and didn't shut up. "I don't see why I shouldn't be given the same respect and consideration as anyone else in this family."

She took a breath and tried to just diffuse the situation. "Mother, I..."

"No, you know what, Aemilia? It's bad enough that you banished my husband to his room like a dog while people who aren't even family are here," Ayre added, apparently on a roll. She then gestured to Scott and asked, "Who even _are_ you?"

Scott looked around in slight alarm before replying, "Well, I might not be a relative but at least I'm not a total asshat."

Summer looked at Sam and Thor, the "bouncers", and they both nodded to her, ready to kick Ayre out with just a single word. Lukas looked at Aemilia, who was staring angrily at nothing and still infuriatingly silent. He opened his mouth to tell Ayre where to go but Frieda beat him to it.

"Ayre," Frieda said, "it was incredibly generous of Aemilia to allow you to come to the shower at all when she knew that you would probably cause a scene like this and try to take all of the attention for yourself. You should be ashamed of yourself for speaking to her like this, especially at her own baby shower."

Ayre rolled her eyes dismissively. "This is none of _your_ business."

"Actually, it _is_ my business, considering Aemilia is like a daughter to me and has been for a rather long time now," Frieda replied calmly. Ayre immediately saw red.

"I think not," Ayre replied indignantly. "Aemilia already has a mother."

Frieda then smiled in a way that was eerily similar to Lukas whenever he was on the cusp of utterly annihilating someone in both the board room and in a physical battle. "Does she?"

Ayre then suddenly stood up and tensed as if ready to throw a punch, as ridiculous of a thing as that would have been. Sam and Thor both got to their feet but Lukas beat them to it, getting up and getting in Ayre's face and telling her, "Take one step closer to anybody in this room and you'll walk out with one less limb."

Ayre gaped at him, first with incredulity but then fear when she saw how deadly serious he was. "You can't be serious."

"Oh, I am," he assured her. "I didn't want you here in the first place and I am not going to stand here and watch you continue to abuse my wife."

Ayre sputtered in both outrage and disbelief. " _Abuse her_? I have never -"

"Yes, Mother, you have."

Having collected herself and decided that she was tired of others coming to her defense, Aemilia stood up next to her husband and told her mother calmly but with a slightly shaky, emotional voice, "You've never hit me but you've been emotionally and verbally abusive to me my entire life. And I tolerated it this long out of guilt and fear but I just realized something, sitting here with my real family and surrounded by all of these gifts and little baby things. You will _never_ change. You didn't change for me, and you won't change for my child, either. And if I don't protect her from you, then I'm no less abusive and worthless than you are. So consider this goodbye, Mother, because you'll never lay eyes on me ever again and you will sure as hell never lay eyes on my daughter."

The room was completely silent following Aemilia's unexpected short speech. Ayre merely stared at her in pure shock, panic evident in her eyes as it became clear that she had not expected such words in a million years and subsequently had no clue how to react.

"Well then," Lukas said as Sam and Thor flanked Ayre, ready to see her out. "I think you can leave now. Oh, and take that vile creature you call a husband with you."

"Come on," Sam said gently, reaching for Ayre's arm. She shook him off angrily, then pointed rather viciously at Aemilia.

"You're an ungrateful little brat, you know that? Just like your stupid father," she spat as both men grabbed her and began to physically drag her out of the ballroom. "You're gonna regret this, I promise you! You're gonna miss me!"

Those were the last audible words out of the woman before she and the baby shower bouncers disappeared through the doorway. The minute she was gone, Aemilia stared at the door for a moment and blinked a few times before involuntarily dissolving into tears. Lukas quickly gathered her up and held her close while she let it all out, not crying so much for the loss of her mother but for who her mother should have been and never was. Under normal circumstances she might have been able to hold it together until later on, but with all the hormones in her mind and body, controlling her tears was impossible, and that was okay.

Seeing Aemilia cry like that after such an unmitigated crapshow made Summer cry a little bit too. She felt horrible for how the shower had turned out, but she hoped that it hasn't ruined the entire experience for Aemilia. She kept her distance and watched silently as Frieda went to Aemilia and patted her on the back, saying something quietly to her and then hugging her right along with Lukas.

Bucky made his way to Summer silently, nudging her gently to grab her attention. She wiped at her eyes and looked at him as he put his arm around her, leaning in close and whispering, "I see that look on your face. It's gonna be okay. None of that was your fault."

"No, I know," she sighed. "I just... this is not how the shower was supposed to end."

"Might not be such a bad thing," Bucky shrugged. "It's fucked up, yeah, but she finally told her to fuck off and die. That's a _good_ thing."

"Yeah, but women aren't supposed to cry like this at their baby shower," Summer said sadly, gesturing to Aemilia.

"No, but women aren't supposed to have shit mothers either," he replied. "That's just life. And like I said... this was actually a good thing."

Summer sure hoped so. After Frieda and Lukas helped Aemilia pull herself together, she wiped at her eyes and took enough deep breaths to calm down, then turned around and smiled a bit embarrassedly at everyone before saying, "Well, that was awkward. I am terribly sorry."

"It's all right," Tony was the first to assure her. "And I'm pretty sure I can speak for the whole room when I say that we're proud of you, kid."

"Beyond proud," Natasha added with a warm smile.

"It takes a lot of strength to do what you just did," Lizzie told her. "I mean, I probably just would have punched the bitch. I _really_ wanted to."

"My shoulder still hurts because of that lady," Pietro added, patting said shoulder and making Aemilia laugh softly.

"She is no lady," Frieda said, "and she's not worth another wasted breath from any of us. There's still a few gifts left, and I for one want to continue celebrating my first grandchild and the wonderful daughter who's going to do a marvelous job of raising her."

"And now I'm crying again," Aemilia said with a watery smile, wiping at her eyes again and gratefully accepting another hug from her mother in law.

Sam and Thor returned soon after, reporting that both Ayre and Ivan were gone and had been sent back to their hotel and placed on the no longer welcome list with manor security. Aemilia hugged them both for their help, and when her little baby kicked Thor in the process of the hug, he let out a booming laugh and said that he took the kick as a high five. Then, after a few more minutes, the shower finally got back underway after that dramatic intermission.

Lizzie's gift was first up. "This is kind of ironic, considering what triggered that whole... incident, but here you go, honey," she said warmly, handing the gift wrapped box to Aemilia.

Aemilia unwrapped the box to find a beautiful and very comfortable looking emerald green nursing dress within it. It was a wrap style dress that had subtle panels at the chest that could be pulled away for easy nursing or pumping, and it was a nice enough dress to be office appropriate as well.

"Oh my gosh, I love it," Aemilia smiled, meaning every word. "I didn't even know they made these. This is so cool!"

And not only was it cool, but it showed that even Summer's stepmother knew Aemilia better than her very own flesh and blood mother. She thanked Lizzie profusely and hugged her because she wanted _all_ the hugs at that moment, and then Frieda handed over her gift next. It turned out to be an all-expenses paid day trip to the city's best and most exclusive spa, for Aemilia and up to three of her friends to attend.

"You could use it before or after the baby comes," Frieda explained, "but I remember that first month after I had Thor and how I desperately I wanted a day to just breathe and recoup. So I recommend waiting until then, but it's up to you."

"... I think after tonight, I might go ahead and use it tomorrow," Aemilia joked before hugging Frieda again and thanking her for being so thoughtful.

A handful of other gifts later, including a stuffed pink princess bear from Scott that Cassie had helped pick out, only one gift remained. Summer went to check the label on it, unsure as to what it was, and then said, "Oh... that's weird. This is just addressed to Lukas."

Aemilia suddenly sat up straighter, as if she'd just remembered something very important. "Oh! Right. Um..." She smiled, glancing at Lukas and blushing a little bit. "Would you mind bringing it over here for me, dear?"

"Sure," Summer agreed, picking up the rather large and flat thing and hauling it over to the intended recipient. Lukas took it whilst eyeing Aemilia strangely, asking her with amusement, "Are you up to something, darling?"

"I'm never up to anything," Aemilia replied mischievously as Lukas raised an eyebrow. He set the gift down in front of him on the floor and began unwrapping it, and as he did Aemilia explained, "I just thought that you deserved your own little special gift. I had a bit of help from a few co-conspirators on this one."

Summer watched with great curiosity as Lukas tore off part of the front part of the paper. He then paused and his eyes widened quite visibly, and he looked away and held the item - which looked to be a large framed portrait - closer to himself to block from general view.

He cleared his throat and looked at Aemilia in awe. "Dear God, woman."

Aemilia blushed and grinned widely. "Esteban and Nicolo leant their services. So you have them to thank as well."

Lukas glanced back at said men and said, "You two are truly doing God's work. Thank you."

They smiled and appeared quite pleased with themselves, and Bucky couldn't help but to pipe up and ask, "What the hell is it?"

"Yeah, what is it?" Summer echoed.

"Something I am not okay with letting everyone in this room lay their eyes on at the present moment," Lukas said, and it was then that Summer realized that he was actually _blushing_ a little bit.

"Well, let Summer have a peek, at least," Aemilia said.

"All right," Lukas relented, motioning Summer over. She all but bounded over, and Lukas turned the portrait so that she could get a glimpse of it while their bodies blocked it from others. And it was... _something_.

Nicolo liked to dabble in photography in his spare time, and Esteban claimed to have the best style and taste of any man or woman in NYC. With their help, Aemilia had put together a maternity shoot that included some fully nude, tasteful shots, the best of which was Lukas' present.

In the black and white photo, Aemilia's long auburn curls cascaded over her shoulder and concealed one breast while her hand cupped and covered the other. She stood against a dark backdrop, her leg bent at the knee just enough to cover herself just underneath her beautifully round belly, and perhaps most striking of all besides the gorgeous silhouette and flawless skin displayed in the photo was Aemilia's face. She wasn't wearing even a little bit of makeup, instead showing herself in her truly most natural form, which was hands down Lukas' favorite when it came to Aemilia. And now it was Summer's favorite too.

"Oh... my... God," Summer said, slapping a hand over her chest to hopefully keep her heart from stopping.

Lukas grinned and replied, "My thoughts exactly."

He then turned the portrait back to its original safer spot, and Summer blinked and looked at the real Aemilia in awe. "... Jesus fricking... Jesus." She then turned around and walked into wall, forgetting it was there because her brain was freshly scrambled. Luckily, her chest took the brunt of the hit and spared her nose and the rest of her face.

Lukas thanked his wife for her beautiful gift with a kiss and a few whispered words, undoubtedly about how he planned to thank her later. And with that final doozy of a gift, the baby shower was at last brought to a close.

Summer, still a bit discombobulated from that damn portrait, went about helping to gather up all the gifts while the guests prepared to leave, some to their own homes but most to their own rooms upstairs or in other wings. Aemilia thanked them all for coming one last time and Summer made sure that they got their cute little baby-themed party favors before they left, and one by one the ballroom got emptier and emptier until only four people remained.

Exhausted, Aemilia all but collapsed back into her seat and let out a deep, tired breath. Lukas took a seat next to her and Summer took her other side, Bucky sitting next to Summer and leaning forward to have a clear view of all three of them.

"I can't believe I cut my mother off tonight," Aemilia said, staring into space.

"I can't believe what a crazy bitch she is," Bucky remarked.

"Super pretty, but like... insane," Summer agreed.

"I would concoct my own elaborate insult," Lukas said, "but my ability to think was shattered by my little gift."

Aemilia grinned proudly at that. "I thought you'd like it."

"Woman, you are a goddess and I am a mere ant beneath your boot," Lukas replied sincerely, making Aemilia giggle.

Aemilia then turned to Summer and took her hand in her own for a moment. "Thank you so much for all the work you put into the baby shower. It was perfect and I couldn't have asked for anything better, truly. I am beyond grateful and in your debt."

"Oh no, not at all," Summer insisted quite vehemently. "I'm just sorry that it was all almost ruined."

"It wasn't," Aemilia assured her. "I promise. Don't worry about it. Besides... I know it's better in the end that this happened the way that it did. My baby will have a better life without that woman in it for even a single day."

"I'll drink to that," Lukas agreed, holding up one of the watered down virgin drinks leftover from the party.

A moment or two of silence went by, and then suddenly Aemilia stood up and said, "Let's go out."

She was met by three separate confused faces. "Huh?" Summer asked.

"It's barely nine o'clock. I heard Pietro say earlier that it's 80's night at Silvertongue. Let's go."

"... To the club?" Lukas asked in surprise.

"Yes!" Aemilia nodded enthusiastically.

"I don't like clubs," Bucky muttered.

"Too bad," Aemilia decreed. "I say we all go change and hit the club and dance and just... let go for awhile. And I know I can't drink, but you three can and I can live vicariously through you."

Lukas chuckled. "Are you sure, darling?"

"Absolutely," Aemilia confirmed. "I need this. And I need all three of you there with me. I also happen to know that none of you are any good at saying no to me even over the silliest things, so let's stop pretending there's any real debate here and just go change and go. Yes?"

Bucky let out a breath and was the first to get up. "Fine, but I'm not dancing."

"We'll see about that," Aemilia grinned as he walked by her.

"What should I wear?" Summer asked, standing up next.

"Something hot," Aemilia replied. "I plan on flaunting all three of you."

"We're not your harem!" Bucky shouted from the hallway after he walked out the door.

"Oh yes you are!" Aemilia playfully retorted. She then turned back to Summer and said, "Seriously. Go find a dress and wear some heels and let's go."

Summer smiled and mock-saluted her. "Yes ma'am."

Aemilia beamed. "Good girl."

Summer paused, blushed, and made an odd little whimpering sound before dashing off before she could react to the seemingly innocuous praise any further and give herself away. Aemilia knew her too well, however, and grinned until Summer had disappeared from sight.

It was the end of a very long day but, with any luck, the start of a night that would de-stress all four of them and give them a much deserved chance to blow off some steam. And really, what better way to do that than dance to cheesy 80's songs at a club owned by and named for Lukas himself?


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Aaaaaaand it's time for 80's night at da club! LOL :D So this chapter is an absolute monster and I am both excited and terrified to post it, but mostly excited because this chapter is actually quite important and it's been in the works for MONTHS. One thing I try very hard to do with chapters such as these - _these_ being uhhmm... saucy... ones lol - is make absolutely sure that they are not gratuitous or over the top but relevant to character development and the core relationships, because without that it's just not nearly as satisfying to write or, IMO, read. And that goes for everything as well, because I despise filler chapters even though they're somewhat necessary at times, but even for those I do my best to make sure that I'm moving the story along and getting our characters where they need to be. The point that I'm trying to make here is basically, THERES GOOD STUFF AHEAD AND ITS ALSO SUPER RELEVANT AND AWESOME. So yay! LOL**

 **My huge thanks to all of you lovely readers and reviewers and followed for continuing to amaze me with your loyalty and feedback (and well wishes and congratulations! You guys are the SWEETEST :D). I LOVE YOU ALL and your reviews and messages make my day :D my huge thanks also to midnightwings96 for being my partner in crime with this entire story and especially this chapter, which we've been planning for months now and flailing together as it evolved into the gigantic monster that you see before you today LOL. As usual, she is amazing and we are BOTH ridiculously excited. Also thank you to MorningGlory2 who also provided her input during the planning stages and flailed with me A LOT over our mutual love of George Michael, who is pretty much the official one-man soundtrack for this fic lol. I love YOU LADIES BOTH and I am super duper excited to FINALLY hit that update button so i'm gonna shut up now and stahp typing and cross my fingers and hope for the best :p see you guys soon! :D**

The last time that Summer had been to Silvertongue, it had been during her and Bucky's mutual hatred phase and the night had been quite eventful. Not only had she and her partner in crime for the night, Aemilia naturally, bonded over drinks and dancing and idiots who didn't know how to leave them alone, but Summer had also decided after going to bed that it would be a great time to confront her terrifying husband over how much of a jerk he'd been to her, only to show up at his door and find him extremely naked and quite grumpy. It had been an eye opening experience, in more ways than one.

But tonight was going to be a very different night out. Following the most dramatic baby shower Summer had ever witnessed, she and Bucky were on their way to meet Aemilia and Lukas at the club for what would hopefully be a long and fun night where they'd all blow off a _lot_ of steam. It was only Summer and Bucky's second night out on the town if one counted the benefit where they'd shared their first kiss, and it was the first night _ever_ where the two couples had decided to go out and do something actually fun together.

And _dear God_ did they all need it, Summer thought as she watched the city pass by the passenger window of Bucky's black Ferrari. He'd briefly tried to convince her to hop on his motorcycle to go to the club, but after her eyes nearly fell out of her head and she rapid-fire shot an impressive number of excuses including ones relating to her hair and dress, he relented and opted for door number two instead. And door number two just happened to be the most expensive and impressive car that Summer had ever touched, let alone actually climbed inside of.

And he looked _damn_ good driving it. Summer kept stealing little glances at him here and there, admiring his sheer beauty and how effortless he made it all look. He'd opted for simplicity that night, but of course he wore it better than anyone in his black leather jacket, black t-shirt and dark jeans, all fitted so perfectly it made Summer's mouth water. He had tried to throw his hair up but Summer had talked him out of that, pouting sadly until he rolled his eyes with a grin and let his locks fall free to his shoulders. Little things like that made Summer wonder just else she could talk him into if she really tried.

He caught her staring this time, glancing at her as they passed under a green light and then grinning as she smiled and immediately looked away. "You know," he said teasingly, eyeing the figure she cut in her vibrant blue body-hugging dress, "you're allowed to check me out if you want to. I'm not gonna be offended."

She blushed and cringed a little in embarrassment, turning back to him and replying, "Would you think I'm completely stupid if I said I'm still not used to that yet?"

He shook his head, glancing at her again as he continued to smoothly weave his way through night time traffic. "No, because you're not stupid."

Appreciating that sentiment, Summer leaned back against her seat and said, "It's still just kinda... surreal, I guess. You and me and... all of this. Actually being together. Like all the way together."

"Yeah, I know," he agreed quietly, changing lanes and then slowing down a bit. "Trust me, I'm still getting used to it too."

He found a parking spot on the street about a block away from the club and, in the time that it took him to pull into it, Summer's brain had managed to deconstruct his simple statement and turn it into something almost laughably different. She must have been doing something wrong, maybe being clingy or annoying, because otherwise he wouldn't have such a hard time getting used to having her close. Maybe she just liked him more than he liked her, or maybe he regretted taking the next step with her and suspending his no kiss rule for her. Maybe -

"Am I... do I get on your nerves?" she blurted out as he turned off the engine. His eyes flew to hers in confusion, and she felt her cheeks start to redden as she added, "It's just... this was such a big adjustment for both of us, especially you, and I don't want to screw it up or bother you or... I don't know... annoy you, or -"

" _Jesus_ ," Bucky interrupted softly, turning her way and leaning closer in the small car. "Are you really worried about that?"

She shrugged. "I mean, I worry about everything imaginable, so..."

"Look," he replied, reaching out and touching a lock of her hair, currently styled in soft, loose waves, "I don't know what the hell I'm doing. You know that. I'm pretty damn sure still that I'm gonna fuck all of this up and you're gonna run away from me as fast as you can eventually, but you're crazy if you think you _bother_ me."

"I did at first," she pointed out.

He paused, glancing down at her lips before meeting her eyes again. "You know all that anger and... loathing I had for you back then... it didn't have anything to actually do with you. I was projecting everything I felt for myself on to you, 'cause that was easier than dealing with my own shit."

Summer took a minute to absorb all of that, then furrowed her brows and asked, "Projecting?"

He paused. "... Yeah."

She blinked. "You're using therapy lingo. Did you start therapy?"

The way that Bucky instantly froze and seemed almost a little embarrassed was all the confirmation Summer needed. As she began to smile he sighed and muttered, "It was just one appointment so far, and he gave me this stupid book and -"

"No, no, I'm ridiculously happy to hear that," Summer giggled, not wanting to put him off or make him think she was teasing him. "I'm _really_ glad you're doing that. I went to therapy in high school and college, because I've had really bad anxiety for as long as I can remember. It really helps. And it's nothing to be ashamed of."

Bucky still didn't seem convinced, but she got that. The fearsome Winter Soldier baring his soul on some therapist's couch was likely not something he wanted to broadcast or even regularly acknowledge, but the point was he was at least taking his mental well-being seriously enough to look past that and do it anyway. And she was incredibly proud of him for that.

"Yeah, so... anyway, that's what all that was," Bucky said, recalling the point he'd been trying to make. "So don't worry or... overthink any of this."

"I'll try," she replied with a small smile. It was the most that she could commit to, because she knew she'd keep worrying and overthinking, probably rather frequently.

He looked her over, eyes lingering on her own little cropped leather jacket that she was wearing over her dress and had kept zipped up since she'd put it on. His fingers going to the zipper of the jacket, he asked, "You ever gonna show me what you've got hiding under here tonight?"

"... Just a blue dress," she blushed, playfully trying to bat his hand away. He merely raised an eyebrow and started playing with the zipper again, correct in his assumption that she didn't want him to stop at all.

"Then why are you hiding part of it?"

"I'm not," she continued to blush. "It's cold outside."

"It ain't cold in _here_ ," he pointed out, and when she opened her mouth to playfully retort, her words died when he pulled the zipper all the way down and finally saw just what made her dress so impressive.

Besides the vibrant deep blue color and the high slit on her left side and the way that the fabric clung to her like it had been made for her body, the dress also boasted a plunging neckline that Bucky hadn't been expecting. It was held up by just two thin straps, sleeveless and showing off the perfect amount of skin. Little decorative straps branched out from the neckline and outlined the inner curve of each breast before disappearing into that plunge above her navel.

The black sky high heels she finished the look off with only further drove the nail into her husband's coffin. After a moment or two of unrepentant staring, Bucky made a decision and expressed it without taking his eyes off of her chest. "Once we get inside the club, this jacket's coming off and I don't wanna see it again for the rest of the night."

... She could handle that, she decided. "Yes, sir."

His eyes flashed up to hers. He always seemed to love it when she said those words, so she knew that she was playing with fire by uttering them at all, but, well... why not?

"Gonna be good for me tonight?" he asked before leaning in and pressing his lips to her neck. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the little shivers and sparks up and down her spine as he kissed his way up to her ear, then bit her lip when his left hand groped one of her breasts through her dress. Then he murmured hotly in her ear, "You _better_ be good."

"And if I am?" she asked, playing along and heart racing when his hand gave her breast a squeeze and his thumb slipped under the fabric to tease her.

"Then you get to take my cock later, when we get home," he replied, making her brain go blank and her body react beyond her control. "And I get to decide how. You'll like that, won't you sweetheart?"

She whimpered barely audibly and nodded, hardly able to look him in the eye as he pulled away and met her gaze. His thumb still casually toying with her nipple under the material of her dress, he pressed a soft kiss to her lips and said, "Good, 'cause only good girls get to come as many times as I plan on making you come tonight."

... _Well damn it,_ did she really have to party all night first before all of this happened? Suddenly nothing sounded better than turning the car back on and heading straight home.

But before she could voice that thought, a distinctive dark green vintage Aston Martin zoomed past them and headed directly for the parking area reserved for the owners of Silvertongue. Knowing exactly who was in that car and what it meant, Summer and Bucky shared a look and one more lingering kiss before he pulled his hand and body away from hers, wearing a maddening and smug little grin all the while because he _knew_ just how compromised Summer already was.

"... You're so mean," she sighed, smoothing out her dress and hair and trying breathe her heart rate back down.

"I could say the same for you," Bucky said, reaching for his door. "Don't know how the fuck I'm supposed to keep my hands off you all night."

She sincerely hoped that he wouldn't.

Bucky got out and walked around the car to her side, opening her door and offering a helping hand to lift her out and to her feet. She accepted with a smile, grateful for the rush of cool nighttime air that hit her face and her legs even if it didn't cool her off completely. He then linked his hand with hers and they began walking towards Lukas and Aemilia's car, and Summer decided to change the subject to get her mind off of what was to come later once they returned home.

"So, just so you know... I'm not much of a dancer," Summer told him as they strolled along the sidewalk. She was blissfully unaware of the security men keeping an inconspicuous distance both behind and in front of them.

"I don't dance," Bucky shrugged back.

"We danced at the benefit," she pointed out.

"Yeah, but that was slow dancing," he noted. "I mean _this_ kind of dancing. Club shit. I don't shake my ass. Ever."

Summer giggled, immediately mentally picturing Bucky twerking and just narrowly avoiding snorting very loudly as a result. "Well, don't guys usually just kinda hump girls' butts at clubs?"

Bucky gave her his best _I have no idea_ look. "Fuck if I know."

"Well, because I went to a few back in college because my friends made me, and this one guy wouldn't leave me alone and I tried to be nice, but... getting humped by a tiny boner isn't my idea of a good time," she said, grimacing as she recalled that particular night. "But when I came here with Aemilia a few months ago we had a lot of fun."

Bucky paused. "Did you dance with anyone then?"

"Just Aemilia," Summer replied. Then she grinned. "Why?"

He simply gave her a look that implied that she knew full well why he was asking, and then she realized they were standing next to Aemilia and Lukas' car on the passenger's side. She looked up and watched Lukas stroll around the car from the driver's side, looking as sharp and beautiful as ever in a green sinfully fitted button down dress shirt and equally well fitted black dress pants. His hair was combed back and immaculate as ever, and when he noticed the couple standing there he eyed them both and then grinned, "Well, if I may be so forward, you two look as if you stepped straight off the pages of a dessert menu."

Summer blushed and smiled while Bucky rolled his eyes and replied, "When are you ever _not_ forward?"

"When it comes to you, never," he winked as he opened the door for his wife. He helped her step out and Summer watched as she smoothly stood up, tossing her perfect auburn curls back behind her shoulders and smiling at them. She looked just as enviable and perfect as her husband, and her big round belly somehow only added to her beauty. She was in a bright, magenta-hued dress with an enticingly low neckline, not quite as plunging as Summer's but no less gorgeous, showing off her plump and perfect cleavage that Summer had no shame in admitting she couldn't quite keep her eyes off of. Silver strappy and impressively tall high heels finished off the look, though Summer didn't notice those right away. Bucky did, however, because... well, high heels. His eyes contained tiny GPS devices for sexy high heels and it was beyond his control.

"Ooh, you're finally wearing that dress!" Aemilia said cheerfully, beaming at Summer as Lukas shut the door and locked the car. "Finally! I told you to wear that ages ago. Dear God you look amazing."

"Uh, no, you do," Summer blushed, gesturing with her hand to underscore her point. "Both of you."

Aemilia simply shrugged and replied, "Like I said earlier, I want to flaunt all three of you, so let's just all agree that we're beautiful and get inside, yes?"

"Yes," Lukas readily agreed. "I am desperate for a drink after the night that we've endured."

Aemilia let out a sigh and grabbed Summer's hand to drag her and Bucky along as she and Lukas set off towards the club entrance. "No more talk about she who shall not be named tonight, and preferably ever. Something so sacred as 80's night should not be tainted with such foul language."

Summer chuckled and Bucky replied, "I ain't gonna argue with you."

"Indeed," Lukas agreed. "But are you sure you're okay with us drinking when you cannot?"

"Oh yes!" Aemilia nodded enthusiastically. "In fact, I will be offended if the three of you don't at _least_ get a _little_ drunk. You must all do it on behalf of those of us who cannot."

"I'm okay with that," Summer replied, "but I am _not_ taking another _shot of mischief_. I 100% refuse. Just nope."

"Aw," Aemilia pouted with a smile as they bypassed the rather lengthy line waiting outside of the club's doors. The waiting patrons eyed the group of four with both interest and envy as they breezed by and Aemilia added, "Well, just as long as you're drunk enough for those dance skills of yours to make an appearance, because you _are_ dancing with me."

Summer cringed a little and Lukas laughed before saying, "Oh, I positively _must_ see these skills for myself."

"There's no skills," Summer insisted as the bouncers opened the doors for them with nothing but a quick glance Lukas and Aemilia's way. "Trust me."

"Don't trust her," Aemilia said to Lukas and Bucky both. "She's just fine, especially when she's too tipsy to be so self-conscious."

"Well, you'll just have to prove it, then," Lukas told Summer with a little wink. Summer groaned and was glad when they entered the club and made their way to the main floor, since that meant the end of _that_ conversation. She'd deal with the whole dancing thing once she was drunk enough not to care how undoubtedly stupid she looked trying to bust a move.

The club was packed that night, as expected, and some of the patrons took the 80's theme more seriously than others and looked the part with their flashy outfits and retro hair. Summer even spotted a sparkly scrunchy or two on a few girls, and it made her laugh as they weaved their way through the crowd towards the bar. Whitney Houston was blaring throughout the building and drowning out everything else, and Summer couldn't help but wonder what Aemilia's baby must have thought of it all from inside her comfy little womb-room. It probably sounded like muffled and bizarre chaos, she imagined.

Once at the bar, Bucky and Lukas helped their women slide up on seats next to one another and then took the seats next to them, providing a bit of a protective barrier that was second nature by that point. When the bartender quickly hopped over to serve them - hanging out with the club's owners certainly had its perks - Aemilia took the liberty of ordering for everyone. Lukas' favorite scotch for himself, a tragically sober ginger ale for herself, a glass of Chardonnay for Summer because Aemilia knew wine hit her faster than anything else, and of course, whiskey for Bucky.

Once the drinks arrived, Aemilia grabbed Summer's wine glass and took a big, dramatic sniff of it before all but moaning, "Oh, _fuck me,_ that smells better than sex."

Earning laughter all around from that, Aemilia then sadly handed the glass back to Summer who replied, "I'll enjoy it for us both, I promise."

Bucky then leaned forward to get a clear look at Lukas before saying, "Your skills must be slipping if your wife thinks wine is better than sex."

"She said it _smells_ better than sex," Lukas pointed out after sipping his own drink. "There's a difference."

"Actually," Aemilia piped up, "I don't know - I'm so alcohol deprived, if I had a drink right now I might orgasm from that alone."

Summer instantly choked on her drink while Bucky simply chuckled. Lukas actually blushed a little - just slightly, barely noticeable to anyone who didn't know him well - and replied, "You left your filter at home, darling. I like it."

Aemilia then whispered something undoubtedly devilish to Lukas as Summer leaned forward to take her first big gulp of wine, but she was stopped short by the unexpected sensation of fingertips at her shoulders tugging down her jacket. She looked at Bucky as he smirked at her and continued pulling down the jacket, and she grinned back as she eased it the rest of the way off and remembered what he'd said about not wanting to see the jacket again for the rest of the night.

Once it was off, he smoothed his fingers over the bare portion of her back between her shoulders and grabbed his drink with his other hand, eyeing her chest appreciatively as he murmured, "Much better."

Summer simply smiled and downed a fair portion of her wine in one mouthful. Then the next thing she knew, she heard Aemilia squeal a little and physically tug her towards her while half-exclaiming, "My God, this dress! I can't get over it! Look at you! Lukas, look at her! Is she not absolutely stunning?"

Summer's face going up in flames, Lukas shifted to get a better look at Summer and took his time in letting his eyes roam along her figure, since he was nothing if not compliant with his wife's wishes. Feeling like not only her face but her whole body was on fire and likely the color of it as well, Summer watched with slightly large eyes as Lukas then casually brought his glass to his lips and said, "Stunning and exquisitely fuckable. Quite like her husband."

Bucky groaned a little while Summer made a noise somewhere between a whimper and a nervous laugh. She went back to gulping her wine while Lukas smirked cheerfully and Aemilia agreed, "I couldn't have said it better myself, to be honest."

"So, anyway," Summer said with a smile, trying to change the subject before she exploded, "um... anyone... seen anything good on Netflix lately?"

"That's not gonna work," Bucky told her. "Once these two get on a roll, there's no stopping them."

"You know us so well," Lukas grinned. "And please, don't pretend as if your ego doesn't enjoy every last moment of it."

Bucky made a noncommittal gesture while Aemilia simply signaled for another round of drinks before throwing an arm around Summer's shoulders and saying, "Well, I'm not trying to boost anyone's ego. I just love this woman so very much and feel especially grateful to have her in my life after a day like today."

"Aww," Summer smiled, laying her head on Aemilia's shoulder and giving her a one-armed hug back. "Stop, you'll make me cry."

"No, but I mean it!" Aemilia assured her as the bartender set another full glass of wine down in front of Summer. "I haven't had such a close female friend in ages. Well, I have Elida, but she's so far away and incredibly busy these days."

"Who's Elida?" Summer asked, reaching for her new glass of wine. The first one had disappeared disturbingly quickly, but she didn't feel anything yet.

"My old college roommate," Aemilia smiled. "She was my maid of honor. Definitely one of my very best friends."

"Yes, a very, _very good_ friend," Lukas winked just suggestively enough for Summer to catch it and open her mouth to ask exactly what he was getting at.

But she never got the chance to ask her question, because the upbeat song blasting through the club gave way to a distinctive piano introduction that prompted Aemilia to shake Summer's shoulders a little and demand, "Oh my God, sing with me!"

Summer choked on her latest sip of wine and shook her head. "I don't sing."

"Oh, yes you do," Aemilia insisted. "You sang the first time we came here and got drunk."

"Yeah, because I was drunk!" Summer squealed. "I'm not drunk yet! I'm not even buzzed!"

Aemilia simply raised an eyebrow and pointedly sang along, " _Turn around_..."

Summer kept her mouth clamped shut, and Aemilia sighed before singing the next line herself. Then she even more pointedly sang the same two words again, and once again Summer refused to follow and shook her head. Aemilia's expression grew slightly outraged and she sang the next few lines overtly aggressively, which was absolutely adorable, but when Summer didn't budge, Aemilia grasped her arm and looked up at her with the most heartbreaking pout she had ever seen. "Come on...for me?" she asked with a stunningly adept flutter of her eyelashes. The woman then turned Summer's face towards her with a delicate touch to her cheek and sang encouragingly **,** " _Turn around, bright eyes_!"

Eyes not necessarily overly bright but definitely wide and slightly flustered at the slight yet somehow intimates touch on her face, Summer squeaked, " _Every now and then I fall apart_..."

Aemilia then smiled brightly and continued on with the duet, still hanging on to Summer and encouraging her with excited nods with every new line she forced herself to sing. Eventually, Summer stopped feeling so nervous after the first minute because she doubted anyone could really hear her far inferior voice beneath the effortless magnificence of Aemilia's. Before she knew it, they were in the middle of an impromptu and highly dramatic duet right there at the bar while their men watched and were greatly amused with their antics. If Aemilia hadn't been pregnant and in heels, she would have dragged Summer up on the bar itself for the grand finale and gained the entire club's attention, but instead they had their fun while seated and singing at the top of their lungs.

Once it was over, the girls dissolved into happy giggles and the men (and the bartender) gave them a round of applause. Then, the next time Summer looked up, there were a row of vodka shots suddenly in front of them. Aemilia grabbed Summer's for her and physically shoved it into her hand, and Summer took a breath and said a prayer before downing it. She still wasn't feeling the alcohol yet, but she knew that once it all hit her... she was gonna be in for it.

Then, after the vodka burned it's way down Summer's throat, the next song came on. All of a millisecond went by before Aemilia had grabbed Summer's hand and began dragging her off of her seat, happily demanding that she dance with her immediately. Summer giggled and complied, and Lukas and Bucky both swiveled in their seats with drinks in hand to watch their wives get down to _Jessie's Girl_.

It was halfway through the song that Summer finally started to feel the warm rush of alcohol begin to course through her veins. Her self-consciousness began to ebb the more that she laughed and sang along with Aemilia, who alternated between dancing with clear and enviable skill and just being a goofball, and with her help, it was easy for Summer to let go. And glancing back at the bar occasionally to see Bucky watching her with affection clear as day written on his face definitely didn't hurt, either.

The music shifting to the iconic _Thriller_ , Lukas started on his third drink and pointed out to his best friend as they continued to watch their women, "You know, I don't think we could have planned this any better if we had even tried."

"What do you mean?" Bucky asked, though he had an idea of what Lukas must have meant.

"Our wives," Lukas replied. "They utterly adore each other. You know that Aemilia fell for her long before you did."

"And I'm very grateful that you and Mia were there for her when I was being a dick," Bucky said, shifting his gaze to Lukas. "I mean that. She needed you guys."

Lukas smirked and nodded. "Well, what kind of friend would I be if I didn't occasionally clean up your messes for you?"

Bucky gave him a _look_ and then turned his eyes back to the girls, who were dancing up a storm together and were significantly closer than they had been a moment before. Aemilia was in front of Summer, grabbing her hands and placing them on her own hips and giggling as she did so, the space between them disappearing as Aemilia made a show of dancing up against her friend. Summer's resulting blush could be seen from space, and Lukas knew exactly what Bucky was thinking when he glanced over and watched his gaze darken a little.

"They make quite the sight, don't they?" Lukas remarked knowingly. "It's a shame you weren't there to witness their little seduction class in Aemilia's office awhile ago."

Bucky's mind immediately flashing to his little... _conversation_ with Summer in her office earlier, he simply grinned and replied without looking away from Aemilia grinding back against Summer, "It's funny you would bring that up today of all days."

Lukas raised a curious eyebrow. "Oh? And why is that?"

Bucky's grin widened by a fraction. "Sorry. Not my story to tell."

Lukas was about to unleash his interrogation skills upon Bucky, but before he could, Aemilia began excitedly motioning for them to come join herself and Summer on the dance floor. Not ones to deny their women anything, they both quickly finished their drinks and then headed their way, though Lukas planned on squeezing more information from Bucky later. And if he wouldn't crack, then Summer surely would.

Summer, meanwhile, had gone from just barely warm to extremely tipsy in only two songs. The alcohol she'd consumed had finally hit her, and when Aemilia produced another shot for her out of nowhere as Bucky and Lukas approached them, Summer laughed and downed it in one easy gulp. Then one of her very favorite 80's songs came on and she was utterly fricking _delighted_ when Aemilia became just as excited as she was. But really, what other reaction was there to have to George Michael's _I Want Your Sex_?

Lukas and Bucky pulled the two girls from each other and into their own arms. Aemilia giggled and quickly pulled Lukas in for a kiss while Summer's hands went to Bucky's shoulders and she smiled at him shyly, shouting over the song's opening rhythm, "I thought you didn't dance?"

"Yeah, well... I also used to say I don't kiss and look at me now," he said before leaning in and giving her the kind of kiss that made her knees weak and panties want to fly off.

Then, as he thoroughly scrambled her brain with his kiss alone, his body started to move and she nearly toppled right off of her feet. She broke the kiss and looked up into his eyes breathlessly, smiling widely and almost silly as she wrapped her arms more tightly around his neck and started moving with him. He smiled back and, while they were hardly dancing as carefree and enthusiastically as the other couples around them, they were _dancing_ and she was so happy she could just _die_.

"I love this song, by the way," she told him as the first chorus kicked in.

"Of course you do," he grinned, clearly amused by her taste in music.

"Hey, George Michael was and always will be a national treasure," she insisted loudly, swaying on her feet a little and _holy crap yeah_ she was definitely drunk. "And he like _really_ wanted that person's sex."

Bucky grinned and before he could answer, they suddenly weren't alone any longer. They were now in a Lukas and Aemilia sandwich, with Lukas behind Bucky and Aemilia behind Summer, all of them squished together incredibly closely and quite suddenly, so much so that Bucky and Summer were both taken aback before they both smiled and laughed at their friend's antics.

Aemilia dancing on Summer from behind was both adorable and hilarious, because her belly prevented any real grinding of the typical variety. But she made do with what she could, putting her hands on Summer's shoulders and running them down to her sides and her hips as Summer looked back at her and they smiled at each other. Aemilia was as close as she could physically get to her in that position and Summer caught herself staring at Aemilia's lips far too late to play it off. She knew that Aemilia saw it, and as her face went up in flames Aemilia simply smiled and leaned in to press an innocent kiss to her cheek. Then Aemilia glanced at the men and quickly glanced again, prompting Summer to do the same and _oh boy_ she instantly understood why.

Lukas was shamelessly grinding on his best friend's ass and, by the time Summer's eyes locked on to the glorious sight, also singing into Bucky's ear and rather enjoying himself. Bucky looked torn between bursting out into laughter and pushing Lukas off, but he took neither option as he simply went with the flow while Lukas repeated the lyrics _don't you know I love you til it hurts me baby, don't you think it's time you had sex with me_?

Lukas emphasized the last sentence by gripping Bucky's hair and giving it a good yank so that Bucky would look at him, and Summer didn't miss the instant flush on Bucky's face that arose as a result. Then Lukas grinned as they made eye contact and then leaned in, making Bucky and the girls think he might just take that last step and lay a little kiss on his lips, but he pulled away at the last second as the song came to an end, grinning madly all the while. Bucky then straightened up and blinked a few times, turning back to the girls and looking as pleasantly bewildered as they were.

Then Lukas snatched Aemilia back up and left the other couple with a wink and a devilish little chuckle as the song changed yet again. Summer smiled a little shyly at Bucky and bit her lip, wishing Lukas hadn't stopped when he had but quickly becoming distracted when she recognized which song was now playing. It gave her legitimate chills down her spine, being one of her favorite songs _ever_ and being on the slower, more sensual side, and she happily sidled back up to Bucky and pressed herself close. She wasn't even aware of how painfully perfect the song was for them until the lyrics began trickling into her ears.

 _Father Figure_ had always been her favorite song from George Michael, and it was hardly what she expected to ever dance to with her husband at a crowded nightclub. But life was full of surprises like that, she supposed, and as Bucky's hands went to her hips and pulled her close to him, Summer leaned up and murmured in his ear, "That was... interesting."

He grinned a little and murmured back into her own ear, "Not as interesting as how Aemilia caught you wanting to kiss her."

Summer flushed with a little bit of embarrassment and a _lot_ of something else. She was feeling beyond warm now, beyond tipsy and increasingly needy, and being so close to Bucky and smelling him and _feeling_ him left her feeling even more drunk than she already was.

She closed her eyes and laid her cheek on his shoulder, the song's first few lyrics washing over her and pulling her in.

 _That's all I wanted_

 _Something special, something sacred_

 _In your eyes_

 _For just one moment_

 _To be bold and naked_

 _At your side_

Her new life here within the heart of the Bratva, this new world that had replaced her old one, the love that she felt for the man who was softly swaying her and holding her like she was something precious... did Bucky himself come close to comprehending any of it when she herself barely could?

 _Sometimes I think that you never understand me_

 _Maybe this time is forever_

 _Say it can be_

Maybe it ultimately didn't matter. They were both just as deep in uncharted water as the other, and part of what made it so overwhelming was how bewildering it all was. He made her feel so much, so deeply, so differently from anything she'd ever felt before, and he brought out sides of her that she never would have known existed otherwise.

Sometimes it scared her how much she was changing because of him, but maybe she wasn't _really_ changing at all. Maybe this was who she had always been. Maybe this was who she'd been _born_ to be.

He turned her around and pulled her close again, her back to his chest, and she kept her eyes closed as his lips pressed gently to the curve of her neck just under her jaw. The chorus brought a hot blush to her cheeks, and not another soul alive would have known why.

 _I will be your father figure_

 _Put your tiny hand in mine_

 _(I'd love to)_

 _I will be your preacher teacher_

 _(be your daddy)_

 _Anything you have in mind_

 _(it would make me)_

 _I will be your father figure_

 _(very happy)_

 _I have had enough of crime_

 _(please let me)_

 _I will be the one who loves you_

 _Til the end of time_

Summer whimpered a little under her breath and curled back even closer against her man. She had listened to this particular song countless times since she'd been a little girl, seemingly for as long as she'd been alive, and she had never truly understood the lyrics and the passion behind them until that very moment.

It was more than just a fun, silly urge to call him Daddy and ask him to spank her, as fun as that sounded. It was so much more than that. It was full and complete trust, a desire for him to have her and hold her in a way that no other man ever had or ever would, to be protected and loved and _possessed_ by him... but not as if she were a thing to be owned. No man would ever own her, not even the man she had been literally sold to. This was so much more than that, and she had no idea how to put it into words.

But that was okay. The song did just that for her. But was he listening to it the way that she was?

She wasn't sure, and she was afraid to speak for fear of ruining the moment so she didn't. Instead she swayed with him, shivering when he nipped at a particularly sensitive spot on her throat that he knew well by now and enjoyed torturing. She slid her hand up into his hair and held him close, feeling like they were the only ones on the whole dance floor and the whole building. Not even Lukas or Aemilia could have distracted her, not then. It was like being high, she imagined, though she didn't have much experience of her own to draw on for a comparison. But if it made one feel like _this_... she could understand addicts a little bit better.

Then, towards the song's peak, something happened that nearly made her heart stop beating. She found out that he had been listening after all, and that she wasn't the only one affected when his lips moved to her ear and he _growled_ some of the words under his breath, possibly the most potent ones that he could have chosen.

 _If you are the desert,_

 _I'll be the sea_

 _If you ever hunger,_

 _Hunger for me_

 _Whatever you ask for_

 _That's what I'll be_

... Not only had he been listening, he knew the damn words as well as she did and had just utterly murdered her. Suddenly there was absolutely zero doubt in her mind as to them being on the same page in every way imaginable, and with her very soul drunk on _him_ , she turned in his arms and looked into his eyes and kissed him like she would stop breathing where she stood if she didn't.

It was almost like being in another world, like some kind of spiritual experience that she'd never be able to explain to another person without sounding like she was completely nuts, but it was one of the most real and intoxicating things she'd never felt in her life. They kissed each other slow and senseless like nobody was watching, neither caring if anyone was, and Summer wasn't even sure if they were dancing anymore. It didn't matter if they were or not, however. Nothing else in the whole world mattered beyond the two of them and that remarkable and indescribable moment while it lasted.

And it was over all too soon. After the song drew to a close, they broke their lengthy, careless kiss and stared at each other for a moment, not wanting to leave their little imaginary cocoon and be thrusted back into reality with everyone else, but they had no other choice. Summer drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes when he leaned in to press a kiss to her forehead, and neither of them said a word to each other because no words were necessary. At least not yet. Later they would be, however.

For then, however, reality officially returned in the form of Lukas and Aemilia appearing at their side and the latter asking them, "Care to join us for a little breather? There's a VIP room with our names on it. Literally."

"All right," Bucky grinned. He then took Summer's hand in his and they turned to follow the other couple across the floor and up a flight of stairs.

Summer felt incredibly off kilter, and she wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or the song or Bucky or just... _all of it_. Whatever it was, she had a feeling that the night was only getting started.

And she was incredibly correct.

* * *

The VIP room that Lukas and Aemilia had nearly exclusive access to was almost like a penthouse suite within the club. It was large, very spacious, boasted several leather sofas and its own little private stocked minibar, and it overlooked the dance floor and the main bar through glass walls that Lukas mentioned were tinted on the outside so that nobody could see into the room.

"Is that so you can have sex in here and not scare the customers?" Bucky asked as he looked around briefly before spotting a bottle of whiskey and grabbing it.

"Well," Lukas chuckled, "I do like to be prepared for every possibility."

Summer, meanwhile, was still in a passion-induced haze. She stood in the middle of the room a bit cloudy-minded until Aemilia grabbed her arm and dragged her to the biggest couch and plopped down with her right in the middle of it, all but squealing, "I am having so much fun and I'm not even drunk!"

Summer chuckled and felt her mind clear up a bit thanks to Aemilia alone, as if she were a human cup of coffee meant to perk her up. "No, this is great," Summer agreed. "Like, if every night was 80s night, I might have to come here all the time."

"Right?" Aemilia agreed happily as Lukas took a seat at her other side while Bucky did the same next to Summer. "And by the way, stop saying you can't dance. You've been dancing all night and you're doing wonderfully."

Summer cringed and shook her head, then glanced at Bucky when he offered her the whiskey bottle. _Well, what was a little more_? She took it and then replied, "Well, I'd argue but I know you'll never let me get away with it, so... I guess I believe you."

"You're learning!" Aemilia quietly exclaimed, patting Summer's leg approvingly. "What a good girl you are."

For the third time that night, Summer choked on her drink and coughed a little bit. She handed the bottle back to Bucky and felt her face redden horribly brightly, and all Aemilia had to do to confirm her suspicions of what was at play was to glance at Bucky. He made brief eye contact and his expression gave it all away, which prompted Aemilia to smile and rub Summer's leg soothingly.

Aemilia wasn't going to say anything. Lukas, on the other hand, couldn't resist.

"Someone's got a praise kink, eh?" he said with clear delight. "This is... not at all surprising, now that I think of it."

Summer's eyes widened and Aemilia let out a sigh before assuring her, "He has one too, so don't mind him. He's just excited to find a kindred soul."

Lukas raised his glass in a mock toast to Summer, who sputtered a little before smiling and muttering, "... Oh. I just... I'm not trying to be creepy or anything, it's just those words kinda... they do things to me and I can't help it, plus I'm drunk and already kinda _ragingly_ horny and -"

"Darling, _shh_ ," Aemilia chuckled affectionately, her hand still on Summer's leg though she hardly realized it. "You don't have to explain yourself to us. Besides, the three of us know exactly how much of a horny drunk you are. Remember last time?"

"You wanted to watch us together," Lukas added, being his incredibly helpful self. "Which _of course_ you did. Who _wouldn't_?"

Summer whimpered and covered her blushing face with her hand. " _Oh God_."

"We could give you a bit of preview right now, if you'd like," Lukas suggested quite saucily, draping his arm on the back of the couch behind Aemilia as he leaned closer to her. "I'm sure you wouldn't mind either, would you James?"

Bucky simply took a drink from the whiskey bottle and shrugged, "Do what you gotta go, man."

Summer stared at Bucky, then at Lukas and Aemilia, then back and forth again a few times. Were they even _serious_?

Lukas chuckled mischievously. "You have no idea what you're being so flippant about, darling. Trust me, there is nothing casual about us or what we do."

"Yeah, I figured that out when I found a giant strap-on gold dick in your sock drawer," Bucky drawled, making both Summer and Aemilia burst out giggling.

"It made quite the impression, didn't it?" Lukas smirked.

"... I don't know how that thing hasn't made a permanent impression _inside_ you," Bucky said with slightly wide eyes, passing the bottle to Summer, who was still giggling.

"Well, that's because my wife is exceptionally talented at making sure I'm properly ready for the relentless _pounding_ I sometimes crave for her to give me," Lukas replied, tone cool as a cucumber. Aemilia blushed brightly and Summer's jaw dropped with the whiskey bottle halfway to her lips. Bucky maintained his poker face, not sure exactly _how_ to react to that. Lukas simply grinned and touched Aemilia's cheek sweetly, turning his eyes upon her as he added, "She is everything I could ever want in a lover, and far more than I deserve. I make sure that she knows that every time I'm lucky enough to have the privilege of touching her body."

Summer then watched with big and wide eyes as Lukas kissed his blushing wife, and it was no small, fleeting kiss. It was languid and sweet and Summer saw both of their tongues flick softly against each other before she lost her breath and turned away, suddenly fully realizing the unbearable pulsing between her legs and how hard her heart was pounding in her chest.

The truth was, she'd been compromised since Bucky had teased her all the way back in the car. So much more had happened since then but not nearly enough, and she was _so drunk_ and that only amplified her already sky-high arousal. She felt like she hadn't been touched in days or weeks - maybe months - and in a sudden fit of desperation, she turned to Bucky and whined under her breath, "I think I'm gonna die."

He chuckled but didn't pull her in closer or touch her at all. He leaned in a little bit and replied equally quietly, "Yeah, baby?"

She nodded and cozied up to him, leaning her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes. "I need you."

"I know you do," he replied softly, kissing her forehead gently. "But I told you... you gotta be good for me if you want what I'm gonna give you later."

She looked up at him in pure despair, feeling like the whole world was going to end. "But -"

His eyes suddenly narrowed into something beautifully threatening. "Do what I say, Summer. You'll regret it if you don't."

... _Well, damn it_. Arousal all but doubling now that she knew he wasn't gonna do a damn thing about it until far too much later, she pulled away from him and leaned back against the couch, letting out a deep breath of frustration as she tried to pull herself together. But there was no calming down or quelling the ache without satisfying it, she knew that much. She was screwed.

But then, to her surprise... a different and softer pair of arms pulled her in, from her right side. "Aw," Aemilia cooed, running a hand up and down Summer's arm sweetly. "Are you all right, darling? You're so flushed." She then placed a finger on Summer's pulse at the base of her neck and marveled, "Dear _God_ , your pulse is _racing_."

Summer, as embarrassed as she was needy, buried her face against Aemilia's shoulder to hide it and muttered, "I'm fine."

"No you're not," Aemilia said, hugging her close and glancing at Bucky. "I know you all too well, sweetheart. All three of us do. It's hard to be a good girl sometimes, isn't it?"

Summer whined inaudibly and sighed, opening her eyes but not meeting anyone's gaze. Instead her eyes fell upon Aemilia's chest, which was tantalizingly close and _full_ and beautiful and... probably incredibly soft and...

"She hasn't let me down yet," Bucky told Aemilia. "She's always good for me."

The rough and surprisingly sensual tone of his voice made Summer feel a sudden gush that prompted her to squirm a little bit, though her eyes didn't leave Aemilia's cleavage. Lukas smirked and simply couldn't help himself.

"... Her breasts _are_ utterly breathtaking, aren't they?" he purred right in Summer's direction, his voice much closer than she anticipated. Her eyes snapped open wide and her head jerked up and just barely avoided genuinely combusting.

"I wasn't looking!" she lied, a purely reflexive and stupid reaction. "And I didn't touch or anything!"

Lukas simply grinned even more widely at the poor little woman. "But you desperately want to, don't you?"

... Were they all just trying to kill her? Because _good Lord_ , this was a fantastic way to put her into an early grave.

She tried to pull away, but Aemilia didn't let her. "It's all right," Aemilia assured her, glancing at Bucky to double check that it _was_ all right. It was. "If it helps," she said, making eye contact with Summer before letting her eyes drift downwards, "I haven't been able to keep my eyes off of _these_ all night long."

As a fresh new wave of heat engulfed Summer's entire body, Lukas chimed in, "It's true. It's been far too long since we've entertained another woman, and Aemilia has never hesitated to tell me how taken she is with you."

Summer gaped even more than she already was and stared at Aemilia in disbelief. Aemilia simply blushed and smiled, "I don't want to make it weird or anything, so I keep it to myself, but... yes, it's true. You are absolutely gorgeous and there's nothing about you _not_ to desire."

... She was dreaming, right? She'd obviously passed out drunk and this was another one of those crazy sex dreams where the four of them fall into a bed and bang like crazy. It had to be.

... But it wasn't. Aemilia ran a finger under Summer's chin to lift her face up and asked, "Have you ever kissed a girl?"

She shook her head dumbly, unable to speak.

"Have you ever thought about it?"

When Summer continued to just stare at her friend rather than remember how to form actual words, her husband picked up the slack and answered for her.

"She's thought about a _lot_ more than that," he told Aemilia. "We just talked about this today. She's got a very... active imagination."

"Oh?" Aemilia grinned with delight, keeping her eyes on Summer. "Then my instincts were correct all along."

Finding her voice again, Summer managed to ask in an only moderately shaky tone, "You - you've... been with a girl before?"

"More than just one, darling," Aemilia replied with a wink. "I love women. You remember the girl I mentioned earlier, Elida?"

Summer nodded, gulping. Bucky stared at Aemilia as well, just as invested in the conversation as she was. Lukas looked on in great curiosity and full approval.

"Well, as I said, she was my college roommate. Blonde, tiny, beautiful - and a dancer, so insanely flexible and talented. She's also very bisexual."

"So... you and her..."

"It started with us getting drunk together one night," Aemilia recalled, a little smile touching her plump lips. "It was just us in our apartment and it had been so long since I'd kissed anyone. I was a virgin too, of course, and... well, I had a lot of frustration built up and the drinking sort of brought it all to a head. She flirted and I flirted back, we kept drinking, and... I was just overcome by curiosity. I asked if I could kiss her, and she did this adorable little giggle and told me she'd been waiting ages for me to ask her that. Then we made out off and on for the rest of the night, and it was... glorious. Her lips were so soft and different from any man's I'd ever had... and she was the best kisser I'd experienced up to then, as well."

Summer barely noticed how her thighs were rubbing together seemingly on their own, a vain attempt to relieve the now-unbearable throbbing between her legs. "That's... oh my God."

Aemilia smirked as if she found Summer simply adorable. "After she gave me that little taste... my curiosity grew and I couldn't stop thinking about kissing her again, and what doing more with her might be like. A week or two passed before we drank together again... and that time I didn't have to ask. It just happened naturally. We started kissing again and one thing led to another, and... she took me to bed and took my clothes off and... she and I basically fucked each other senseless."

"Oh my God," Summer nearly sobbed, entire body blushing by that point. Bucky had to shift where he sat, having a bit of an issue himself, and Lukas saw the _issue_ for himself and winked at Bucky.

Seeing the effect that she was having on everybody, especially Summer, Aemilia continued on, "She taught me how to please a woman. How to go down on one... how to get on top and align your bodies just right so that your clits rub together perfectly. She was so good at that... I'd never come so hard in my life before she did that to me."

Summer and Bucky were both speechless and possibly on the brink of death. Lukas took note rather gleefully of their dumbstruck and flushed faces and said, "Darling, be careful. Spontaneous combustion is no mere myth, and our friends are on the verge of proving that."

Aemilia giggled and looked over both of her friends, focusing mostly on Summer and tapping one of her heated cheeks affectionately. "My point is... yes, I am very experienced with women. She and I hooked up rather often, whenever we had time and the mood struck us. I loved it. I honed my skills with her for sure."

"And then," Lukas added, "after we married... dear little Elida was the first woman we invited into our bed. So I've seen these skills for myself. Far more than once. Aemilia's a woman of many talents... she can fuck me into oblivion and turn around and fuck a woman into as many orgasms as she can handle."

Bucky rubbed a hand roughly over his face and crossed a leg over one knee, clearly trying to remember how to breathe and calm down. Summer was so aroused and in such dire need that she was convinced that if _someone_ didn't tend to her within the next few minutes, she'd suffer an acute case of deadness and, well, die. And be dead.

"But I don't want just any pretty girl I see," Aemilia said, shifting her body so that she was leaning fully towards Summer, both of them facing one another and quite close at this point. "I'm not like that. You know that. We're the same in that way. I've never been one for casual sex where I give my body to someone I don't care for." She reached out and threaded her fingers through Summer's hair, making her shiver and gaze up at her with large, hopeful eyes. "I care for you. You're my best friend. You're also drop dead _fucking_ sexy and... if your husband gives me permission... I would be more than happy to give you your first kiss from a woman."

Mouth falling open again, Summer whipped her head around and looked at Bucky like a little kid needing permission first before they were allowed to rip open a birthday present. He looked at her with pure, unhidden heat in his eyes, then glanced at Aemilia and nodded his approval. Summer's heart nearly exploded with joy.

Aemilia gently turned Summer back her way, wearing a pleased and excited little grin of her own. "Well then... are you sure you want this, Summer?"

She nodded so hard she might have shook her brain a little. "God yes, _please_. If you don't I think I'll die."

Aemilia chuckled and nodded, looking her over again and running her hand up her arm and over her shoulder and collarbone, then back into her hair. "Good," she murmured, leaning in closer, "because I have thought about this entirely too much for my own good."

Then, finally, at long last, the distance between them slowly closed and sweet, soft lips pressed to Summer's own for the first time. It was like striking a match and tossing it into a can of gasoline for Summer, so desperate to be touched and to feel _her_ touch that once she finally had a taste of it... it was overwhelming and like nothing she'd felt before.

Aemilia started slow, with just a small, careful little brush of their lips. Then she drew away just enough to look at her and make sure she was still on board before leaning back in and kissing her again, this time a little more fully and a little longer, though she still kept it almost unbearably soft and slow. Summer whimpered, her hands not knowing what to do for a brief moment before burying themselves in Aemilia's soft mane of curls. She pulled Aemilia closer, kissing her back with a desperate tinge, and Aemilia followed her cues without hesitation. She traced Summer's lower lip with her tongue and Summer opened up for her immediately, the kiss turning deep and open mouthed and drawing quiet moans from both of the girls.

Their men were, essentially, in heaven. Lukas still had his arm draped behind Aemilia and was thus only inches away from the action, his viewpoint flawless and as up close as one could ask for. He watched with his lower lip caught between his teeth while Bucky watched with his mouth slightly ajar and his body unnaturally rigid with his efforts to control its instant reactions. They both caught glimpses of the girls' tongues playing together as they watched one kiss bloom into heated and utterly beautiful making out, no hesitation on either of their parts and certainly none on the men's side. Then, as Aemilia began to tilt Summer's head and simply have her way with her mouth, hands started wandering and Bucky grew closer to instant death.

Aemilia was smooth and careful but passionate, running her hands through Summer's hair and along her side and her hip, sticking to safe but sensitive areas. Summer, on the other hand, had a lot less self control and ended up sliding her hand down Aemilia's collarbone to her chest and finally one of her breasts. She panicked instantly and broke away, breathlessly rambling, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I - I didn't mean - I'm -"

Aemilia simply chuckled and took Summer's hand in hers and placed it back on her breast over her dress, telling her, "I don't mind, darling. Touch all you want. Lukas doesn't mind. In fact, he likes to watch." Aemilia looked at Bucky then and raised an eyebrow. "Can she touch me?"

He swallowed dryly and nodded. "Yes."

"... Can I touch her?" Aemilia asked.

Bucky nodded again. " _Fuck yes_."

Summer moaned out loud at his express permission being given and gave Aemilia's breast a possibly clumsy little squeeze through her dress, overwhelmed all over again and not sure what to do next. She wanted to do _everything_ and had no idea where to start, but thankfully Aemilia had a much clearer head than her and happily took charge just like Summer wanted and needed her to.

She pulled Summer back in for another kiss, this time one that was passionate and deep from the start and absolutely perfect in every way. Summer groped at her desperately and met every stroke of her tongue with one of her own, wanting to be good for her and make it all worth her while, terrified to pale in comparison to previous (and current) lovers. But she had nothing to worry about, because while Aemilia was 100% sober, she was every bit as aroused and into their little impromptu fling as Summer was.

She also knew exactly what she wanted from Summer. After a few long, incredible moments, Aemilia broke the kiss panting and told Summer firmly, "Stand up. Take off your panties and then sit on my lap."

It was a miracle Summer didn't lose it right there. She nearly did, but instead she shot up to her feet, wobbling when she did - both Lukas and Bucky reaching out to steady her and make sure she didn't fall - and then she did exactly as Aemilia told her. After a short moment of inner debate, she tossed her panties on Bucky's lap. He grinned at her and most definitely did not miss how thoroughly soaked the little things were.

Then Summer climbed on to Aemilia's lap. Lukas moved away from Aemilia just enough to make room for her but stayed close, and Summer straddled her as closely as she could with her belly in the way. She smiled at Aemilia when she accidentally bumped against it, and Aemilia chuckled back and told her, "Normally I'm not so... crowded, but I have a feeling you don't particularly mind."

"Not at all," Summer shook her head, gazing upon her with open admiration. "You're so pretty. Not pretty - you're beautiful. You just... kill me."

Aemilia smirked and tugged Summer a little closer by her hips. "Well I assure you, the feeling is mutual and it always has been."

Both of them smiling, Aemilia pulled Summer back in for another kiss and they picked up where they had left off seamlessly. There was so much effortless heat between them and a level of comfort that could only come from two people who were already so closely bonded on so many levels, and in a strange way, it seemed only natural for this to be taking place between them. Summer felt no guilt and no hesitation, and she doubted that it was due to the alcohol because she had sobered up quite significantly the moment Aemilia had kissed her, and even more so when she told her to take her panties off.

The men watched as the girls kissed and gently explored each other, taking their sweet time despite how urgently both of their bodies were demanding more. Summer got comfortable with running her hands over her friend and feeling her breasts through the thin fabric covering them, loving how she could feel Aemilia's nipples harden beneath her hands. Aemilia in turn began kissing her way down Summer's throat, also playing with her breasts but making sure to feel her everywhere else, too - her back, her ass, her legs and thighs and hips, every part of her that she could reach, all while she sucked a pretty little mark into the side of her neck. She just _had_ to leave Summer with something to remember her by later.

Then Aemilia's lips were on the swells of Summer's breasts and between them, readily available thanks to Summer's plunging neckline and revealing dress. Aemilia's hands slid up her thighs under the dress as her mouth teased and played around, and Summer's hands were buried in Aemilia's hair as she rocked herself on her lap and tried not to beg for more. But she needed so very much more, and she was wearing far too many clothes, and...

Her eyes flew open when she felt a second pair of very familiar hands upon her. She looked to her right and found Bucky right there at her side, reaching for the straps of her dress as Aemilia pulled away by a few inches to watch. He maintained eye contact with Summer as he peeled the straps down her shoulders until she pulled her arms out, and then he pulled the dress down the rest of the way, exposing her breasts to both Aemilia and Lukas. Then he leaned in and gave Summer a lingering, hot kiss before pulling away and giving Aemilia a look that could be interpreted as nothing but a green light. Aemilia smirked at him and then gave her full attention to the glorious sight before her.

"... _Fuck_ ," Aemilia marveled, her hands wasting no time in cupping and feeling and squeezing the large and arguably perfect pair of breasts. "They're even better than I imagined. _Look_ at these things..."

Summer giggled a little and then felt her breath catch as Aemilia teased her nipples with her thumbs, sending little sparks of pleasure straight down between her legs in the process. Summer moaned softly and rocked down against her, and Aemilia grinned at her reaction before leaning in and wrapping her lips around one of her nipples. Summer's back arched and she held Aemilia's head close, not even thinking about the fact that she was also currently topless in front of Lukas and being watched very carefully under his almost unsettlingly emerald gaze. That was, at least, until her eyes opened and happened to wander his way.

The minute it happened, his eyes flashed up to hers and locked her gaze in place. She shivered and suddenly felt a little nervous, but not in an uncomfortable or unpleasant sort of way. He was just so beautiful and intimidating and she was sitting half naked on _his wife's_ lap and having her breasts exquisitely played with by her, and, well... just _what_ was behind that calculating, intense gaze of his?

By the time Aemilia came up for air, Summer was shaking with need and all but pounced on her, kissing her hard and moaning and grinding and barely keeping herself together. Aemilia chuckled and broke the kiss after a few hectic moments, purring against her lips, "Do you need to come, sweetheart?"

"God, yes, please," Summer begged, rocking her hips for emphasis. " _Please, please_..."

Lukas chuckled next and nuzzled Aemilia's neck, briefly distracting both girls. Bucky seemed to have a similar idea, kissing down Summer's shoulder while Lukas murmured, "She's pretty when she begs, isn't she?"

"She's pretty no matter what," Aemilia pointed out before Lukas agreed quietly and then raised his head to steal a kiss from her. Summer watched, enraptured by them and the love between them and the passion that they shared, all evident in just that single kiss. Then, after they broke apart, Lukas turned his gaze back to Summer and made a bit of a show out of ogling her breasts before making eye contact again. Summer swallowed nervously, and then Lukas asked Bucky without looking away from her, "James, may I...?"

Now currently kissing the back of Summer's neck, Bucky groaned and muttered, "Do it."

So Lukas did, without further preamble and without giving Summer any time to comprehend what was happening until his lips were already on her own. It shocked her in a way that Aemilia's first kiss hadn't, because Summer genuinely hadn't even thought of _him_ playing with her in the same way. Not that she hadn't dreamed of it or fantasized about it before, but she just hadn't seen it coming on this particular night. Yet now here he was, a hand in her hair and the other on her waist as he kissed her like it was his was right to do such a thing, like once again, it was only natural for this to happen. And maybe it was.

He kissed her similarly to how Aemilia did and yet in a way that was utterly unique and almost impossible to describe with mere words. He was sensual and careful and yet bold and possessive, his tongue invading her mouth and laying claim to it and making her head nearly spin right off of her shoulders. She moaned and one hand stayed on Aemilia's shoulder while the other moved to his own, then crept up and into his hair as she held him close and shamelessly submitted to him as easily and enthusiastically as she had to his wife.

Aemilia could barely contain herself watching, and neither could Bucky. They shared a very brief glance between the two of them before Bucky looked down at Lukas' hand, oddly respectful on Summer's waist. He then reached down and grabbed Lukas' hand and guided it to Summer's breast himself, the action making both of them moan and Lukas happily curl his hand around the lush flesh and play while he had the chance to. Bucky, meanwhile, couldn't help but wonder if he'd lost his mind because he was sure that he had never seen anything so fucking hot as his two closest friends taking turns kissing and touching his half-naked wife.

When Lukas reluctantly and finally broke away from Summer, she whimpered in protest and tried to follow him. Aemilia chuckled and Lukas grinned and told her with a gentle flick of his thumb on her nipple, "I'm not going anywhere, Kitten. Just trying not to take all the fun for myself."

Summer felt an entirely new and almost embarrassing gush as a result merely of the word _kitten_ leaving his lips like that.

Lukas' eyes then flickered to Bucky, maybe giving him a look that was meant to express his thanks for letting him join in on the fun, and that was all both girls needed to think the same thought at the same time. They looked at each other and then Summer sprang into action first, grabbing Lukas by his shirt and squeaking, "Wait, wait."

He froze and looked at her with great curiosity. She blushed and then looked from him to Bucky, who was still just behind her, and she stammered, "I... I know you two have... kissed before, and..."

"And we would both love to get to see it happen with our own eyes," Aemilia smirked, getting the words out much more smoothly than Summer could have ever hoped to.

Lukas chuckled and was, of course, instantly on board. Bucky looked his way and didn't give a reaction so easily as he did, licking his lips but not giving an immediate answer one way or the other. As a result, Summer placed a hand on his jaw and, once his eyes met hers, she gave him her best little _good girl_ face and begged, "Please? Do it for me?"

His eyes flashed with heat and need and, to Summer's surprise and further undoing, he growled like a starving man and leaned between the girls, reaching out and physically pulling Lukas closer to him. Lukas came exceedingly willingly and then, right there between their wives, the two men kissed each other for the first time since their teen years. And it was even more beautiful than either Summer or Aemilia could have ever imagined.

All those years ago, Lukas had taken Bucky's first kiss for his own in an effort to teach him how to kiss a girl and prepare him for the dating world. Bucky, in turn, had been Lukas' first kiss with another boy and had helped confirm Lukas' attraction to men in the process. Now they were both all grown up and married and in love with the women watching them, and kissing each other now felt rather like it had back then... only better. Lukas never tried to deny his eternal and harmless attraction to Bucky, so this moment was one that he planned to make linger and savor for some time. Bucky, on the other hand, didn't expect to like it so much that he'd get caught up and let it turn into something relatively long and even a little sloppy, but... well, he did.

Lukas groaned without shame and enthusiastically plundered Bucky's mouth, pulling his hair for good measure and making sure it hurt. Bucky made a sinful noise against his lips and then bit his lower one in retaliation, which made Lukas chuckle with delight and then move back in for another bruising kiss. They went at it like that for what seemed like ages, pushing and pulling and moaning and trying to dominate each other in the hottest power struggle imaginable, but in the end, even their kiss couldn't last forever. Lukas pulled away first, flushed and panting and suffering terribly within the confines of his now-too tight pants, and Bucky seemed much the same as he drew away.

But Lukas didn't let him go far just yet. His hand buried in Bucky's long hair, Lukas grinned and looked his friend in the eye as he murmured, "I've been waiting for that for a _long_ time."

Bucky didn't reply. Instead he leaned forward and kissed Lukas again, just long enough to make Lukas close his eyes in bliss and groan, and then he pulled away and eyed Lukas with a crooked little grin and said, "Maybe we can do it again in another 15 years."

Lukas' eyes flashed with immediate disapproval of such a terrible idea. "I will kill you if you make me wait that long."

Bucky simply grinned and pulled away, replying, "We'll see."

That was when both men finally turned their eyes on their wives and realized how absolutely _dead_ they both were. Summer was bright red and nearly in tears from how excited and aroused she was, and Aemilia appeared to be just barely holding herself back from pouncing on both men, or perhaps pushing them back together so she could sit back and enjoy a much lengthier, more _naked_ show.

They all completely speechless as well. What finally broke the humorous little stalemate was Lukas licking his kiss-swollen lips and eyeing Summer curiously before glancing at his wife and asking casually but heatedly, "Well then. Are you going to make her come or am I?"

Aemilia blinked a few times and then snapped back into action, yanking Summer close again and telling Lukas, "Don't even think about it. She's mine this time, darling."

 _This time_. Mind blown at the mere idea of a _next time,_ Summer closed her eyes and moaned as Aemilia kissed her once again and the focus fell back between the two of them. As they kissed like mad and Summer quickly fell back into whimpering and squirming and dying to be touched, Aemilia pulled her hands away from Summer only to yank impatiently at the straps of her own dress. Summer's eyes snapped open and she quickly moved to help, and together they both yanked the top of the dress down and finally equalled the playing field as far as nudity. And Summer was instantly distracted all over again.

Aemilia's breasts were absolutely perfect, in Summer's opinion. They were significantly bigger than they had been pre-pregnancy but no less perky, more so than Summer's, and they were pale and creamy and flawless. She cupped each one, testing each one's weight and loving how soft and pretty they were, enthralled with her very first experience touching another woman's breasts. She could have probably played for hours but she didn't have that kind of time, so after a moment or two she leaned down and put her mouth on them, one at a time and making Aemilia moan and arch with each little touch of her fingers, lips, tongue and even teeth.

Lukas, meanwhile, busied himself with gently stroking up and down Summer's bare back. He gave her goosebumps and loved watching them erupt along her skin when he wasn't too busy watching her lick and suck on his wife's breasts. But Bucky wasn't having such an easy time himself as the others were.

The minute Aemilia's breasts fell free from her dress, he had panicked a little. He didn't know where to look or what to do, because while he'd given his permission for Summer to be looked at and played with, he hadn't received the same for Aemilia. He and Aemilia were so very close and he didn't want to endanger that or appear disrespectful somehow, so he mentally flailed and looked everywhere except for her body until she glanced over at him and noticed his internal war raging quite clearly on his features.

Aemilia smiled and reached over to him, her other hand holding Summer's head close to her breast, and she took Bucky by surprise by grasping his chin and turning his head her way, encouraging him to look at her. "Relax, silly boy," she grinned. "You can look all you want. Even touch me, if you wanted to. I promise."

Immense relief flooding through the poor man's body, he replied by lowering his lips to the palm of Aemilia's hand and kissing it completely innocently, almost even submissively. She smiled more widely at him and then withdrew her hand, understanding the gesture as a sign of respect and appreciating it very much. Then, returning her attention back to more pressing matters, she gave Summer's hair a tug and pulled her back up to her lips, ravaging her mouth all over again and both girls reveling in the way that their breasts pressed and slid together as they moved.

"Mm," Aemilia purred against her lips, nipping a little bit with her teeth, "you _are_ a good girl, aren't you? So patient and eager to please and obey..."

Summer moaned and bit her lip as Aemilia's right hand disappeared under her skirt, trailing up one of her parted - and wet - inner thighs.

" _Ooh_ ," Aemilia grinned with delight. "My God, you're nearly soaked to your knees. If I had a bed to lay you on, I'd spread your legs open wide and take my time licking it all off."

Summer could literally only moan and try not to die in reply.

"As long as you saved some for me," Lukas murmured darkly, further adding to Summer's extremely enjoyable distress.

"Oh, of course," Aemilia grinned, trailing her fingers through the mess on Summer's thighs and soaking them. Then she turned to Bucky - who was about to explode - and asked, "Can he have a taste?"

Summer whimpered and blushed all over. Were they _really_ talking about tasting her -

"Just give me one first," Bucky nearly begged, and Aemilia seemed particularly delighted at his answer.

Aemilia then looked up at Summer and pulled her close for another kiss as her fingers finally, _finally_ brushed against her center, so thoroughly ready to be touched and relieved of the terrible ache within. Summer shuddered and moaned into her mouth as Aemilia teasingly rubbed back and forth for a moment, then slid further down and _inside_ and _oh_ -

But then her fingers were gone, out from under Summer's dress and being offered to Bucky's waifing, hungry mouth instead. All three other pairs of eyes were fixed on him as he parted his lips and happily licked Aemilia's fingers and briefly sucked them into his mouth to make sure he cleaned them off before releasing them. Aemilia grinned and bit her lip as she pulled her hand back and let it slip back under Summer's dress, repeating what she had done before except taking a bit longer this time and pressing two fingers fully inside of her, making Summer arch a little and bite back a wail. It was so much and yet not enough, and _definitely_ not enough once her fingers retreated yet again.

But this time, Aemilia offered her fingers to _Summer_ to taste. Summer stared at her in slight confusion, but Aemilia simply tapped her lower lip and said, "Be good, darling. Trust me."

Obeying without another second thought, Summer opened her mouth and let her tongue flick out first, licking up Aemilia's fingers before sucking them both down all the way to the knuckles. Lukas groaned at the sight and Bucky cursed almost angrily, rubbing himself through his jeans only briefly to try to relieve some of the tension, though it didn't work.

Once Aemilia's fingers were clean and Summer had taken all that she had offered her, Aemilia then looked at Lukas and said, "There. Have your taste."

Lukas, grinning at the way that his wife thought, wasted no time in leaning forward and capturing Summer's lips again. His tongue swept through her mouth and against her own tongue as Aemilia's fingers went back between Summer's legs. She rubbed her swollen flesh slowly and sweetly, and the direct contact made Summer gasp and moan into Lukas' mouth and clutch at his shirt to keep from collapsing in a heap. He continued to kiss her until he'd gathered each last little note of her taste, and when he pulled away, he didn't go far. He brushed his lips against her ear and told her in a quiet, silky tone that only she could hear, "You taste divine, Kitten. And I'll taste you again someday... properly."

Leaving her with that promise to wreak havoc upon her until its fulfillment someday, Summer whimpered and stared at him in disbelief and unbelievable lust when he pulled away. He merely winked at her and then grinned as he resumed watching the show taking place before him. Then, Aemilia yanked Summer back down for another slew of kisses and picked up the pace with her fingers, making Summer cry out and circle her hips to chase the much-needed pleasure.

Then, when they broke apart, it was Aemilia's turn to whisper in Summer's ear. "I would taste you too, but... I prefer to drink from the source. And I will one day. Just not tonight."

... Now Summer was on the verge of tears. Not only was there apparently a _next time_ but now both Aemilia _and_ Lukas had plans to go down on her, maybe take turns doing so, who knew, and _how the hell was she ever going to survive any of this_?!

She could do nothing but moan and squirm and kiss Aemilia like her life depended on it. Her fingers were skilled and precise and incredible as they rubbed and circled her, giving her the friction she needed but not quite enough to send her screaming off the edge just yet. Aemilia kept her just shy of that and did it beautifully, at least until the pressure was gone and then replaced by her fingers again sliding deep inside of her and _curling_ , which made Summer let out something closer to a scream than anything else.

"Shh," Aemilia chuckled. "Remember, we're not at home right now. Let's save the screaming for next time, okay?"

"Oh, God, next time," Summer groaned, dropping her head back in despair. "I'm not gonna survive _this_ time."

"Yes you are," Aemilia told her. "And I'm going to let you come now, on one condition. Ride my hand, show me how bad you want it."

Summer groaned and whined but nodded. "Y-yes, ma'am."

Aemilia smiled, delighted with her response. " _Good girl_. Now go. Fuck my fingers."

Summer leaned back, holding Aemilia's shoulders for support and immediately began doing as she was told. She lifted her hips up and down as if she were sitting on top of a man, raising up and then sliding back down, over and over and working up a rhythm and angling herself to hit the right spot. And once she did, she tossed her head back and moaned and lost any further inhibitions that she might have been clinging to, tossing them out the window and riding the hell out of Aemilia's hand.

The men couldn't help but lend their help to Summer as she chased her release. Lukas took one side and started kissing her neck as Bucky reached out and took her breast in his hand, teasing it before placing his mouth over it and amplifying her pleasure. She continued to bounce up and down, soon letting go of Aemilia and holding on to Lukas and Bucky's shoulders instead, then coming dangerously close to screaming again when suddenly Lukas' mouth was on her other breast and sending her on total sensory overload. Her hands moved to their hair and curled into tight fists around it, pulling hard and barely aware of her own actions because she was _so_ close and Aemilia's fingers were hitting he exact right spot and -

"That's it, darling," Aemilia purred. "Come for me. Come for me _now_ ,"

And she did, with a silent scream that became a strangled, loud moan and was followed by violent tremors of her body that seemed to go on and on and _on_. All three of her companions helped ease her back down from her high once she was spent and boneless, physically exhausted and mentally in shock of how intense the entire experience and its outcome had been. She couldn't even begin to process it all and that was just fine - she didn't have to just yet. Instead, Lukas and Bucky helped to drape her on Aemilia's chest, her head resting comfortably on her shoulder, both of them gently rubbing her back as she slowly recovered.

All the while, Aemilia ran her hands through Summer's hair and kissed along hair forehead, whispering sweet nothings about how good she was and how beautiful, and how wonderful she had done and how proud she was of her. Summer ate it up like candy.

She didn't know how long they stayed there like that, she and Aemilia clinging to each other with their dresses pooled at their waists and their husbands at their sides, admiring them both and undoubtedly suffering with the most painful of erections at that point. However long it lasted, however, it was wonderful, and Summer only convinced herself to peel herself away from the other woman once Aemilia started tugging her dress back up.

Lifting her head and gazing in both awe and shyness at Aemilia, Summer smiled as she slipped her arms back through the straps of her dress and allowed Aemilia to tuck her breasts back into the fabric, then furrowed her brows as she asked quietly, "Don't you want me to... y'know... return the favor, or..."

"Oh, I would love that, Summer," Aemilia smiled, stroking her cheek. "I would love to spend an entire night exploring you and letting you do whatever you'd like to me, but... someone needs your attention even more desperately than I do."

Summer blinked once, twice, then quickly turned her head and found Bucky staring at her in a clear mixture of agony and ecstasy. There was a vein about to burst in his forehead - and probably somewhere else too, she imagined - and there was literally no way for him to cross his legs or do a damn thing to hide his need for her. She had just given him the show of his life and fulfilled fantasies he hadn't even known that he had, but now the show was over and he needed her so badly he might have actually wept if he'd had to wait any longer.

"Go on," Aemilia smiled, patting Summer's hip. "Take your man and go home. Ride him like you rode my hand and he'll be a happy man."

Summer giggled and nodded, sitting up a bit straighter and glancing down at Aemilia's still-bare breasts. She shyly touched one for the last time and then leaned in to steal one more kiss, which Aemilia happily gave her. Then Lukas stood up and offered Summer a hand to get her to her feet, and after she accepted, Aemilia began to fix her dress and Bucky shot up like a lightning bolt and gathered up their things at a record speed.

Summer didn't notice. She was too busy staring up at Lukas and stammering, "Um... that was um... I wasn't... expecting you to..."

He raised an eyebrow. "To what?"

Her face reddened. "To uh... kiss me or... do... _any_ of that... but it was... amazing and... like... what I'm trying to say is..."

"Oh, for God's sake, woman," he chuckled, leaning in close for his own last little kiss, " _hush_." He then kissed her gently, even sweetly, and when he pulled away he grinned at her and said, "I did say that you were exquisitely fuckable earlier. Did you think I was joking?"

She opened her mouth and shrugged. "I..."

"I wasn't," he grinned. Then he gave her arm a little pat and gestured behind her. She turned and then blinked at the sight of Bucky packed and ready to go, holding her long-discarded jacket draped over his arm and over the raging problem in his pants to conceal it.

"Ready?" he asked, not bothering to hide the anxiety and desperation in his tone.

She smiled and nodded. "Absolutely."

Bucky nodded and then turned to his two friends, staring at them both and drawing a magnificent blank at what the hell to say to either one of them. He paused and struggled for a moment before settling on, "That was fucking hot."

Aemilia giggled in that girlish, almost innocent way of hers, and Lukas grinned and said, "It always is with us, darling."

Bucky nodded and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, so, um..."

"Oh dear God, just go!" Aemilia exclaimed with another giggle. "We can talk more later! Go have fun!"

"Bye," Bucky happily nodded to them both on that note, turning and grabbing Summer's hand with his free one and dashing out of the VIP room and back down the stairs so fast their feet barely touched the ground. He led her around the dance floor and swiftly towards the exit, still using her jacket as a shield, and it felt like barely a full minute had passed before they were outside and Summer's still-heated face was being blasted by the cool night air.

She could barely even comprehend everything that had happened back at the club. She had a feeling that she'd be processing it all for days to come, and she was still too drunk to think particularly clearly, although now that she thought of it...

"Are you okay to drive?" Summer asked when Bucky got them back to their car and helped her climb into the passenger seat.

Bucky gave an exasperated chuckle in reply and muttered, "Sweetheart, the minute you kissed Aemilia I went from tipsy to stone cold sober in about five seconds."

"Oh," Summer blushed. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Trust me," he assured her before closing her door and quickly making his way to the driver's side. Summer took a breath and leaned back against her seat, closing her eyes and taking a moment to just breathe and stifle a giggle under her breath.

 _What a damn night_. And it _still_ wasn't over yet.

After Bucky got in and shut his door, he tossed Summer's jacket aside and she opened her eyes to look over at him. He jammed the keys into the ignition and ran a seemingly harried hand through his hair, and then her eyes drifted downward and widened exponentially. No wonder he'd been so adamant on keeping that jacket draped over himself.

"... Are you... um..."

"I'm fine," he quickly assured her, checking his mirror before pulling out into traffic and getting on their way.

"But..." she trailed off, looking back up to his face and suddenly wondering if something _else_ was wrong. He was being rather quiet all of a sudden, and she just wouldn't have been _her_ if she wouldn't have then had a mild panic attack and then asked, "Are you mad at me?"

He whipped his head towards her and stared at her like she had three and a half heads. " _What_?"

"It's just... you're... kinda being weird and quiet and -"

He closed his eyes briefly and then turned his gaze back to the road before replying, "I'm acting weird because if I look at you or think about what happened back at that club I'm gonna pull you over and fuck you right in the middle of traffic."

Even after everything that had transpired that night, Summer hadn't lost the ability to blush just yet. "... Oh," she smiled, glad _that_ was the problem and not something a lot more difficult to fix. "So... you're okay with everything that happened?"

Bucky laughed under his breath and shook his head, glancing at her once more with a smile. "You really have to ask me that?"

She grinned back. "Just wanna make sure. I mean... we'd never really talked about anything like that happening and... I've never even had a threesome in my life, let alone something like that, and... _wow all of that actually happened_."

"... You're tellin' me," he muttered, grip shifting on the wheel as he adjusted the way that he was sitting, clearly uncomfortable and suffering rather terribly. Summer stared down at his lap for a moment, biting her lip and knowing full well that they were more than 20 minutes away from home. That was a long time for him to wait when he was already undoubtedly in pain, even with him pushing the speed limits as he had been from the moment he got them on the road.

... But maybe he didn't have to wait _quite_ that long. Thanks to his slightly lead-like foot, it wasn't long before they'd cleared the city and were on a far more secluded highway, and aside from one other car up much further ahead, their car was the only one around. Her heartbeat picking up and body starting to hum all over again at just the mere thought of what she was contemplating doing, she tried not to smile too obviously and shifted a little closer to him. The car wasn't especially spacious and there wasn't much distance between them to begin with, so all she had to do was lean over just a few inches to get close to him.

First she laid her head on his shoulder, playing innocent like she was so adept at. Then she closed her eyes and leaned in closer, nuzzling his neck and skimming her nose along the traces of scruff beneath his jaw before kissing him softly there.

He knew what she was doing. He sighed and murmured, "Summer..."

"Hmm?" she hummed, bringing her hand to his knee and casually sliding it further up his leg as she continued peppering sweet little kisses on his skin.

"Save it for when we get home, baby," he told her, his voice tight with clear tension.

"... But why?" she half-whined, dragging her palm across his inner thigh but stopping short of anything more. "We don't _have_ to wait."

His eyes glancing to her body twisted in his direction, her breasts nearly falling from their confines within her dress and lips so soft and sweet as they trailed along his neck, he groaned and tried to stay focused on the road. "C'mon, Summer. I'm all right, I can wait."

"... What if I can't?" she asked, finally touching him through his almost cruelly tight jeans. His reaction was immediate and jarring, his entire body jerking and then freezing and mouth falling open with a curse that brought a smile to her face. "See? I don't think you wanna wait either."

"... No I don't fucking want to, but -"

She silenced him with a gentle but hot little bite to his neck and then reached for his belt, working on getting it undone. "Then just drive and let me take care of you."

He didn't protest any further, not having the desire nor the self control to. Summer, more sober than earlier but still having to concentrate a bit more than she normally would to get his damn pants undone, happily accepted his consent and, the minute she pulled him free, grinned at the relieved little noise that he made as she gave him a few long, much-needed strokes.

For a moment or two she kept her touches slow and light, still kissing on his neck and peeking at his grip tightening on the wheel. She normally didn't consider herself a tease and he certainly didn't deserve it after everything he had endured so far that night, but for some reason, she wanted to absolutely torture him. She blamed her leftover buzz and the rush that she was _still_ coming down from thanks to their friends back at the club.

Bucky took his eyes off the road to stare at her when she pulled away from him, tossing her hair back and giving him a deceptively shy little smile before lowering herself down over his lap and making her intentions unmistakable. Bucky groaned aloud and contemplated just pulling over, but before he could make a decision she was already licking a long, wet line up the length of him and his ability to behave rationally flew out the window. He took his right hand off the wheel and brought it to her upper back between her shoulder blades, needing the contact but not wanting to control her and just hoping to God he didn't crash them into a tree.

Summer was enjoying herself far too much, however, to worry about such heavy things. She teased the hell out of him, kissing and licking and working her hand along with her mouth, but she never took him in fully and she made damn sure that he suffered as much as he enjoyed himself. His hand ended up in her hair, his grip as pleading as the breathy and frustrated groans that left his mouth, and Summer found that she absolutely loved being in control of his pleasure and keeping it just on the right side of painful. She might have been submissive through and through, but that didn't mean she couldn't thoroughly enjoy a taste of something else.

Then, when she was sure that he was least expecting it, she left a trail of sloppy, wet kisses and teasing licks all over his sensitive tip and then suddenly and _mercilessly_ sucked him down all the way to the back of her throat. Bucky reacted instantly and dramatically by nearly shouting out a curse and swerving out of his lane, nearly driving off the highway and into the surrounding grass before jerking the wheel back over and getting them back fully on the road.

Summer just laughed quietly around him, not pulling off or giving him any chance of recovering as she continued to take him as deeply as she could. His grip on her hair had turned painful and she liked it like that, but she loved even more the way that he moaned and struggled to maintain control as she gave him everything she had. He cursed and moaned and said her name like it was both a blessing and something utterly obscene, and she couldn't have stopped even if she had wanted to. She'd never enjoyed the act so much as she did in that moment, or felt so powerful and even kinda _bad_. She absolutely _loved_ it.

And Bucky couldn't hold back for long. After he'd turned off the highway and started down the empty private road that led to the manor, he reached the end of his rope and didn't even have time to warn her or say anything beyond a rough and incoherent moan before he was coming hard in her mouth, finally finding the relief he'd been desperate for all night long. Summer didn't mind, happily licking it all up and trying not to make too much of a mess in his disgustingly expensive car, though she doubted he really would have minded. She then carefully withdrew from him and gently fixed his pants for him, making eye contact with him only when she pulled away to settle back into her seat.

He was staring at her in awe and exasperation, his cheeks flushed and eyes dilated and breath coming heavily through his parted lips. Summer simply grinned at him and made a show out of licking her lips - she didn't know what had come over her, but whatever it was, she liked it - and then asked lightly, "Feel better?"

Bucky only looked away from her when it was time to turn into the manor. He didn't bother to park the car in the garage or anywhere else remotely acceptable, instead pulling straight up to the front doors and deciding that was good enough. He then killed the engine and turned to her with dark, almost menacing eyes and murmured, "You've been a _bad fucking girl_ , Summer."

Her grin fell off of her face and, within an instant, her entire body was overcome with unbearable heat. She stared at him with increasingly wide eyes and squeaked, "But I... I just wanted to help and..."

" _Hush_ ," he quickly snapped with a tiny shake of his head. "Not another word until I say so."

She fell silent, but her mouth remained open.

"We're gonna get out of this car," he told her calmly but still with that dangerous tone, "and go up to my room. And you're gonna find out what happens when you're bad."

He then opened his door and got out without another word. Summer nearly combusted with excitement.

This was _definitely_ going to be new. It was a whole night of new and exciting experiences, apparently, and Summer couldn't have been happier.

Everything was a pleasant and hazy blur as Bucky led Summer from the car and into the mansion. He gestured for her to walk in front of him, so she led the way once they were inside and made a beeline for the stairs. He stayed just a step behind her, and she could feel every move he made and his every breath, or at least she felt as if she could.

Halfway upstairs, Summer noticed one of Lizzie's high heels laying apparently forgotten on one of the far edges of a step. She thought that was odd but kept moving, every passing second building up her anticipation more and more.

Once they got to the hallway, her footsteps picked up speed and so did Bucky's. It felt like an eternity and a mere flash at the same time before they got to his door, and once they did, she opened it and he gently pushed her inside and then swung and locked the door shut in the next breath.

His hand smacked the wall and turned on one light before his hands went to her shoulders and pulled her back against him, his lips grazing her ear as he told her quietly, "Remember those traffic lights. If for one second you don't like something or just _think_ you might not like it, you tell me, understand?"

She nodded quickly and rapidly. "Yeah. Yeah, of course."

"Good." Then his fingers slipped under each strap of her dress and pulled them down her shoulders, his tone changing in an instant as he all but commanded her, "Take everything off and then get on the bed. On your hands and knees."

Her heart was instantly back to pounding in her ears. Breathless already, she nodded and scrambled to obey him, all but yanking the dress off and leaving it on a pile on the floor as she hurried towards his bed. It just so happened that she wasn't wearing anything else under her dress, because her panties were still stuffed in one of Bucky's pockets, so once her dress was gone she stopped in front of the bed and reached down towards her heels.

"No," Bucky decided from afar, "leave those on."

She paused and glanced back at him, not questioning him but blushing and then biting her lip. Then, naked save for those shoes alone, she leaned down and put her palms on the bed, then one knee and then the other, and then she was crawling up Bucky's bed towards the center as he slid off his jacket and his own shoes.

She came to a stop and took a deep breath, closing her eyes. She could _feel_ his eyes on her, and being in her current position, she felt incredibly exposed and possibly more naked than she had ever been.

"Open your legs wider," he told her, nearly making her whimper. "Don't try to hide from me."

She didn't hesitate to comply, even if it made her even more nervous. She widened her stance on her knees, opening up fully to him and arching her back a little, trying to give the appearance of confidence. It helped when she heard him make an appreciative little sound in response.

She also heard his belt clink as he undid it and continued to undress. All the while, she waited for him and tried not to squirm or whine for him to hurry up, even though she felt like she'd die if he kept her waiting much longer. And she didn't even know what she was waiting _for_.

"You know," he drawled from entirely too far away, "I was ready to give you your reward once we got home. You were such a good - _perfect_ \- girl at the club. Blew my fucking mind watching you with her. With both of them."

She shivered, recalling those heated moments and wondering if he could _see_ just what it did to her.

"You're so _fucking_ submissive and I fucking _love_ it," he said, pulling his shirt over his head and dropping it. "Watching you do everything Aemilia told you to do, kissing and fucking around with a girl for the first time... it was even better than that little fantasy we talked about in your office earlier."

... Had that really been earlier that day? _Holy crap_ , Summer thought through the haze of arousal currently engulfing her. She'd had a _great fricking day_.

Then, finally, she felt the bed depress behind her. Now as naked as she was, he was at last climbing on the bed along with her, though she couldn't see him and she didn't dare to peek back at him.

"But then... _then_... after all of that," he said in that smooth, sensual tone, running a hand up her calf, "you pull that little stunt in the car and leave me no choice but to punish you."

His hand sliding up behind her knee and to the back of her thigh, she whimpered quietly and said, "But I - that was for _you_ and I just wanted to help -"

Her words died when his hand unexpectedly tightened in a mildly painful grip on her thigh. She closed her eyes and tried not to moan even though she _really_ wanted to, and then she felt lips graze the small of her back as he murmured, "Not a word til I say so, remember?"

She nodded, trying her best to comply with his wishes but _damn_ it was hard. That didn't mean that she wasn't absolutely loving all of this, however, and eagerly awaiting whatever his little punishment would entail.

"See, the thing is," he said casually before reaching for her hair and grabbing a handful of it, yanking her upright and pulling her against his chest with a slight yelp, "I know you pretty well by now. I'm still learning what makes you tick, but..."

She laid her head back against his shoulder, her eyes closed and breath short as his hands roamed up her body to cup and gently squeeze her breasts, though not for as long as she would have liked. His lips pressed to her ear and his hands slid back down, and she kept one of her hands clasped behind his neck to help keep herself upright.

"But... I'm pretty sure that you're gonna like what I'm about to do a little _too_ much," he said, both hands smoothing over her hips. "So I gotta make sure I make it hurt."

And then, without warning and before her mind could comprehend what he was hinting at, he _spanked_ her. She gasped and made an embarrassingly loud noise in shock, and before she knew it, he pushed her back down on her hands and knees just the right side of roughly and smoothed a hand over where he'd hit her, telling her quietly, "Give me a color, sweetheart."

 _Color... give him a color_? _Oh_ , her brain finally caught up to reality, _give him a_ _color_. "Green," she panted, nodding for good measure. "Green, green."

"Good," he purred, "'cause I'm nowhere near finished with you."

Then he spanked her again, this time making the first one feel like a little tiny love tap. She moaned carelessly loudly and fell from her hands to her elbows, lowering her head and just trying to breathe, but then he hit her _again and again_ , alternating sides and harshness and completely and utterly destroying her ability to think. It hurt but it hurt in the very best possible way and she could _feel_ herself gushing more and more with each slap.

It didn't pass his notice, either. Giving her a little break and soothing his hand over her reddening skin, he chuckled and said, "I knew you were gonna love this. Look at you," he trailed his fingers through her wetness teasingly, making her moan and arch back against him pleadingly. "If I stopped now, you'd beg me for more, wouldn't you?"

She nodded, face pressed into his sheets and her hair a mess all around her. Then he was on top of her, brushing her hair over one shoulder and kissing the curve of her neck before murmuring, "I asked you a question."

" _Yes_ ," she moaned, arching back against him again. He was hard and smooth behind her and she wanted him so badly, but she knew he was far from done making her wait. "Yes, I want more."

"Want me to keep going till you're in tears?" he asked, biting the back of her shoulder and soothing it over with his tongue. "Till it hurts you to sit down all day tomorrow?"

" _Please_ ," she begged, having no shame in it whatsoever. She _loved_ Bucky like this, dominant and filthy and rough and everything she never knew she wanted or needed in a man. Giving in to him and giving herself up to him and trusting him to take care of her and guide her through this new and unexpected territory was intoxicating, even beautiful. He made her feel things and think things she never thought before, things like...

 _Smack_. She moaned and he groaned into her ear, " _God_ , I'm gonna fuck you so hard into this fucking bed, baby."

 _Smack smack_. She was vaguely aware that she was babbling, saying _please_ and _oh God_ and other nonsense that she couldn't comprehend, too far gone to stop or care. She was chasing his hand now with each slap, wanting more and searching for it rather than shrinking away, but she wasn't even truly aware of that either. The world could have ceased to exist in those moments and she wouldn't have cared, because she was somewhere else entirely and fully dependent upon Bucky, following his lead and more than happy to be at his mercy.

"Mm," he groaned, breathing hard against the back of her neck and letting his hand slip between her legs to play for a moment. The second his fingers touched her there, she nearly screamed and jerked hard against him, making him grin and ask, "Feel good, sweetheart?"

Almost in tears, she nodded frantically and rocked against his hand, trying everything she could to get more contact, more friction. But that wasn't good enough.

"Talk to me, Summer," he demanded. "Use your fucking words."

" _Yes yes ye_ s," she babbled, "God, _please_ more."

"Yeah? You think you've earned it?" he asked, pulling his hand away to her great dismay. "You gonna be my good girl now?"

She whined, her entire body nodding if such a thing was even possible. " _Yes_."

"Yes _what_?"

Any other night, she would have said _yes sir_. But on this particular night, after dancing with Bucky to _Father Figure_ and everything that had happened afterwards between them and their friends, and now coming home only to be dominated and kept on edge by this man, her filter and inhibitions and fears were gone and a pair of words flew out of her mouth that had been trying to claw their way out for weeks now. " _Yes, Daddy._ "

Then the whole world seemingly ground to a halt. Summer's eyes popped open as she realized with a jolt of horror what she had said, and Bucky fell motionless and frozen behind her. The word hung in the air heavily and uncomfortably, like an anvil waiting to drop and crush her at any minute, and if there was ever a time to panic... that was it.

She opened her mouth to say she was sorry and take it back and pretend that it was a mere slip of the tongue and nothing else, certainly not a kink that she'd been suppressing for ages until a particular 80's song had brought it roaring fully to life just a number of hours ago. But before she could choke out a single word, Bucky's voice was in her ear, low and rough and _beyond_ aroused.

"... What did you just say?"

 _Oh crap_. "I... I just... I -"

Before she could stammer any further, he pulled her towards him and she turned around, finding herself suddenly in his lap and looking him in the eyes rather than on her hands and knees. Her face was utterly aflame and she could barely stand the eye contact, but he didn't give her a choice as he lifted her chin and forced her not to look away. His eyes were burning as hotly as her skin was.

He stared at her for a good long, agonizing moment, seemingly needing a moment to gather his words and decide on a course of action. Once he did finally speak, his words made her skin nearly melt. "Be a good girl and look me in the fucking eye and tell me what you said."

Her inner coward was on the verge of a breakdown, but the good girl in her was positively thriving and coming to life in an entirely new way. She tapped into a reserve of courage that she didn't know she had and repeated quietly, sweetly, "Yes, Daddy."

It was as if his entire body reacted. His eyes grew dangerously dark and his cheeks flushed, even part of his chest flushed a little, and she felt his arousal twitch beneath her. She could hardly believe it, but it was as clear as day that he was just as into it as she was. She had been hiding her growing kink from him out of fear, but as it turned out... that fear was completely unfounded.

" _My God_ ," he groaned, gazing at her in awe and lust and she didn't even know what else, but whatever it was, it was breathtaking. "Right when I start to think I've got you figured out... you just... you fucking kill me all over again."

She would have smiled and blushed up a storm if he hadn't have pulled her close and begun utterly ravaging her mouth with deep, hungry kisses. She moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck, grinding herself down on his lap and matching every stroke and turn of his tongue against hers, unbelievably relieved that her little slip of the tongue hadn't ended in humiliation or disaster.

She should have known that it wouldn't have. They were suited to each other in ways she could barely fathom, and this seemed to only further cement that fact.

She whined with pleasure when he tightened his arms around her and moved them, placing her down on her back with a satisfying thud against his bed. He broke their kiss then and pulled away to look her in the eyes, a small and slightly devious grin on his lips as he did so. She grinned back and then let out a whoop of surprise when he turned them over, placing her on top of him.

She wasted no time in leaning down and bringing her mouth to his neck and trailing her kisses down to his chest, wanting nothing more than to devour him, but he had something else in mind. His hands running up from her hips to her back and then her shoulders, nudging her back up to look at him, he got her attention and murmured with a _filthy_ gleam in his eye, "You're so fucking perfect."

She blushed and bit her lip, shaking her head a little. "I'm not, but..."

"Yeah you fucking are," he assured her, pulling her down for a brief but deep and consuming kiss. Then, their lips just a breath apart, he groaned roughly, "Why don't you come up here and sit on Daddy's face?"

She couldn't help it - she moaned aloud at just those mere words, unable to stop herself. The implication alone was enough to kill her, but the added kink was almost enough to make her lose it from his words alone.

"C'mon," he urged her, giving her still-sore ass a light little slap and making her jolt with an addictive mixture of pain and pleasure. "Bring that pretty little pussy up here for me."

" _Oh my God_ ," she squeaked, her body obeying long before her mind and moving of its own accord. He slid further up the bed so that she'd be able to hang on to the bedposts for support, helping her crawl up his body in the process as she whined, "I think I'm gonna actually die." As filthy as his mouth always was, this was an entirely new level of filth and she was scandalized and turned on and absolutely ready to throw herself at his mercy for all of eternity. She knew in that moment that she'd do anything he ever asked of her and likely never say no, including for this particular act which she'd shied away from only a handful of weeks earlier.

"You know," he said as she crawled over his chest, "I'm gonna be honest... I love that Lukas knows what you taste like now. Now he knows even more what a lucky bastard I am."

"... He told me that he was gonna... um... well, his exact words were _taste me properly someday_ ," Summer recalled, the mere idea making her entire body erupt with goosebumps. Or maybe that was from Bucky's breath on her inner thighs, since she was now hovering directly over his face and holding onto the bedframe with both hands.

"Hmm... dunno if I'm willing to share this," Bucky murmured, hands gripping her hips as he kissed his way up to her center. "Aemilia can do whatever she wants to you. But he'd have to earn it."

 _Good God_. "Earn it how?" Summer asked, looking down and feeling her knees growing wobbly at the sight they currently made.

"Not sure, but you can help me figure that out someday," Bucky grinned. Then he yanked her down and groaned, "Now get _fucking_ down here."

And she did, letting him pull her right on top of his mouth and whimpering helplessly at the first touch of his tongue. She held on tight to the wood above his bed and, thankfully, didn't feel a single twinge of self-consciousness in her precarious position. How could she when he couldn't have made it more clear how beautiful and incredible he found her, and how much he _adored_ doing this to her?

He made hungry, blissful noises as his mouth had its way with her, and he encouraged her to take her pleasure from him by helping her rock her hips, _wanting_ her to ride his face and to use him how she pleased. It was easier than she would have ever suspected to comply and lose herself, and she was so worked up and needy and on edge that it seemed like he'd barely gotten started and she was already dancing on the edge. He could tell and he didn't want to stop her or delay her, so he simply doubled his efforts and then relished feeling and watching her fall apart on top of him.

She was loud and out of control and she could not have possibly cared less. She was wound so tight that when she finally sprang it was _overwhelming_ , and though she was slumped against a bedframe and narrowly avoiding suffocating her husband, she felt like she was floating and as if reality had shifted for a few moments into something she'd never felt and never experienced before. She didn't know what it was, but luckily she was with a man who cared enough to guide her through it.

He helped pull her down and back to the bed, laying her down next to him and kissing her neck and touching her sweetly all over while she caught her breath. She laid there in pure bliss, giggling when his lips eventually caught a ticklish spot under her ear, which made him grin as well and look at her with nothing but heat and affection on his face.

She bit her lip and reached up to touch his cheek, telling him quietly and sincerely, "I love you _so much_."

It made her heart melt several times over to see how truly happy those words made him feel. He leaned into he touch and kissed her hand before replying, "I love you too, baby."

There was so much that she wanted to say, so much that she wanted to tell him and thank him for and express, but it would have taken her all night and they weren't finished just yet. So instead, she pulled him down for a kiss and snaked her leg over his hip, pulling him close against her and grinding against his hardness that was all but begging for attention.

Between increasingly heated, slightly sloppy kisses she whispered against his lips, " _Please_."

"Please what?" he teased, rolling her to her back and sliding on top of her without breaking their kiss. Then he pulled away just long enough to murmur, "Tell Daddy what you want."

 _Mother of God,_ she could hardly take it. Whimpering with one hand buried in his messy long hair and the other's nails digging lightly into his back, she wrapped both legs around his waist and pulled him down as close to her as she physically could before replying, " _You_."

"You've got me, baby," he pointed out with a maddening little grin. "You're gonna have to be more specific." When she whined and flushed with impending embarrassment, he traced her cheek soothingly and said, "Oh, come on. After everything we've done tonight and everything you've said and done with me... and our friends... we both know you can say it."

But the thing was, she really _wasn't_ sure. Half of all those crazy things she'd done had been accidents, but this - being prompted to say something that she just normally wouldn't say - why in the world was it so much harder than everything else she'd done that night?

" _Come on_ , doll," he said, kissing her lips and then trailing across her cheek to her ear. "Be brave and be good for me and say it. Just three little words." Then he dropped his voice down to a velvet purr right at her ear and said, " _Fuck me, Daddy_."

Her heart stopped beating at that exact moment, she was sure of it. Her brain clouding with unimaginable lust and the last remaining fractions of her filter successfully disintegrating, she moaned and then did as he said, repeating those words in a desperate and needy tone that barely sounded like it even came from her own mouth. Then she repeated it for good measure, and that was when Bucky's self control snapped snd everything kicked into hyperdrive all over again.

It was all hard and insanely desperate kisses as he grabbed her leg and tossed it over his shoulder before pushing inside of her with no more hesitation or resistance. She broke their string of kisses with a yelp of pure pleasure, finally having what she really wanted after her long and crazy and beautiful night. He was on the same page, taking a moment to stay still and make sure he lasted longer than he did in the car before moving within her, not bothering to be gentle or slow about it because he knew that it was the last thing that either of them wanted.

Instead, he took her hard and fast and almost bruisingly roughly, watching her body react underneath him with nothing short of ecstasy and a passion to match his own. She was so happy to give into him, to hold on to him with her own tight grip and be fucked into the mattress, matching every thrust and roll of his hips with one of her own, and the feeling of it all - of being so fully and wholly trusted in by her, so loved and so valued to be allowed to have these pieces of her that nobody else would - it was beyond overwhelming and beyond his ability to fully understand in those moments. He would be thinking about them for days to come, and so would she because she was in the midst of the very same experience herself.

It was rough and hard and not what she would have ever considered loving or sweet before she'd met this man, but now, on this particular night, it was everything she could want and so much more. The almost feral sounds leaving his mouth, the bruises she'd undoubtedly find on her hips the next day thanks to how unforgiving his fingertips were, and the way that he hit the right place with nearly every single thrust - it was heaven, or at least the closest she could come to it on earth, of that she was convinced.

He made sure that she came twice long before he did, though he didn't relent either of those times and simply fucked her through them, because he knew she could handle it. Then, only when he was sure that he could absolutely not prolong his own end any longer, he took her wrists and pinned them above her head and held them down there as he sped up for the last time. It was so fast and so much that Summer could only surrender and and enjoy the crazy ride while it lasted. And as it turned out, the very best part just might have been the way that Bucky cried out and moaned against her lips as he at last rode out his own earth-shaking orgasm.

None of it could have possibly been any better, she was sure of it in the quiet and hazy moments that came after. He stayed collapsed on top of her, his face buried in her neck and eyes closed as she ran her fingers through his hair and felt as if some of her bones had literally left her body. She had never been so thoroughly sated or thoroughly... well, _fucked_ before in her life. There was no other word that could have possibly properly described it aside from that.

Eventually, after laying a sweet and sleepy kiss on her neck, he rolled off of her and to his back, and they both opened their eyes and stared at the ceiling in a pure daze for a moment or two.

... What a night. What a _day_. What a... _everything_.

Summer glanced over to him, and when she did, she caught his eye and he looked her way as well. She then smiled a little shyly, and he grinned back and asked, "What?"

"Nothing," she shook her head. "Just... uh... I, um... can't believe I just..."

"... Got fucked bent over on your desk this afternoon, then tonight had your first sexual experience with a woman - and with more than one person at a time - inside a nightclub of all places. Then sucked me off in the car on the way home and almost made me kill us both. Got to my room and got the living hell spanked out of you... let me in on a pretty serious kink you must have had for awhile now for it to just slip out like it did... then rode my face before getting fucked pretty damn hard into my bed and loving every minute of it?"

 _Well when he put it that way_... "Yeah. Yep. That... that pretty much sums it up."

He chuckled and rolled over towards her, pulling her close and holding her as she happily cuddled against him. "Trust me, tonight is... it's pretty up there for me, too. I'll never forget a minute of it."

"Yeah?" she smiled as he stroked her hair. "What was your favorite part?"

He made a breathless little sound of exasperation and shrugged. "I don't think I _can_ pick a favorite part. But the _Daddy_ thing... that was... _something_. I didn't see that coming."

She bit her lip and tried not to cringe. "I'm sorry. I know it came out of nowhere. I just -"

"Fuck, don't apologize," he urged her. "I fucking love it."

She smiled with surprise and sheer delight. "You do?"

" _Fuck_ yes," he assured her. "You couldn't tell?"

"Yeah, but... heat of the moment and all," she shrugged.

He shook his head. "No. I love it. A lot. It's... fucking hot as hell." Then he grinned and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Don't worry. I'll be your Daddy."

She giggled and covered her face in embarrassment, and he laughed right along with her. Then she peeked up at him and said, "You just quoted that song, you know. The one we danced to and you kinda sang to me."

He paused and then grinned. "I could tell how much that song was getting to you. I should have figured it out then."

"Yeah, but then I wouldn't have blurted out like I did and... yeah," she sighed, still feeling a little embarrassed by it all but trying not to care. After all, it was over with and he had loved it, and things couldn't have turned out any better.

"Don't worry," he replied. "It was perfect. You're perfect. You're... truly just... more than I have words for."

She smiled and let those words warm her heart, savoring them and knowing that he meant them with everything he had. "Trust me," she told him in response, "I feel the same way. Completely. So much that it's just... _wow_."

"Yeah," he agreed with a grin as he leaned in to kiss her, " _wow_."

And that one little word was most likely all that could truly describe the night that they'd shared as it drew to a close. It wasn't long before the lights went out and they slipped under the covers together, not merely falling asleep but passing the hell out in each other's arms as exhaustion and _exertion_ finally caught up with them. It had been a night to remember in so many more ways than one, and it was extraordinary nights like those that made both Summer and Bucky feel incredibly blessed and lucky to be alive and be where they were, with each other.

But the glamour had to end somewhere, and in their case, it ended the moment they both began snoring loudly in their incredibly deep sleep. If either one of them had been aware of that fact they might have teased the other, but that was one of the added benefits of passing out together at almost the exact same moment.

Morning would come eventually and was already halfway there, but until then, they didn't move an inch and slept in pure peace in one another's embrace. It was a blissful end to a blissful night, and while it was anyone's guess what might happen the next day, for then, in that moment in time, their lives were as close to perfect as they had ever been.

Time would tell just how long that happened to last.

* * *

If there was one thing that Summer found herself rather anxious about the following morning, it wasn't the morning after itself. It was the breakfast after.

She and Bucky woke up tangled up in each other and still high on the previous night's events, lounging lazily in bed for longer than they should have and taking an equally long shower after they finally managed to drag themselves out of bed. They simply couldn't get enough of each other, especially once they both saw the full extent of Summer's bruises and marks from the night before. She was sore as hell in _several_ different places, but she absolutely loved it and Bucky seemed quite proud of himself.

But they couldn't hide in solitude forever. Mutual hunger demanded they finally show their faces at breakfast, and that was when Summer's anxiety began to kick in.

Lukas and Aemilia would undoubtedly be there. Would things be awkward? Would they regret what happened the night before at the club? Would her utterly priceless friendship with Aemilia and unique bond with Lukas be compromised now that they had both kissed her and touched her and... well, _shared_ her with Bucky?

She didn't think so, but the mere idea was enough to put a pit of dread in her stomach. She'd never forgive herself if those relationships were damaged as a result of that little encounter.

And so, her mind racing and stomach twisting, she hid it well and put on a brave face as Bucky escorted her downstairs towards the dining room. Luckily, she didn't have to sit and stew silently in her anxiety for long, because when they made it to the room, Lukas and Aemilia's faces were the first ones that they saw.

They were standing near the coffee bar, Lukas dressed casually for the weekend in well-fitted jeans and a black v-neck t-shirt that really should not have been as sexy as it was, and Aemilia looking adorable in a pair of comfortable little shorts and an oversized sweatshirt from her college days. Her hair was up and her glasses were on, and Lukas apparently found her irresistible like that because he wouldn't stop trying to kiss her neck no matter how much she giggled and tried to push him away.

Then Aemilia glanced up and noticed the new arrivals, smiling instantly and saying, "Well, finally! We were starting to worry that you'd both lapsed into a coma."

Summer blushed and shook her head, glancing at Lukas as he looked their way and seemed _delighted_ to see them both. "Oh, no, just, um... you know. Sleeping in a little."

"Yes, well, after the night you had, I'm sure you needed it," Lukas winked, looking from Summer to Bucky. "Good morning, darling."

Bucky rolled his eyes and pushed past Lukas with a humorous little shove as he made for the coffee. "Out of my way."

Lukas feigned outrage and replied, "Is that how you treat all your lovers the morning after a night of passion?"

"Nah," Bucky said, glancing at him over his shoulder. "Just the obnoxious ones."

Lukas then leaned towards the girls and said, "Did you hear that? I referred to myself as one of his lovers and he didn't argue."

As Summer blushed up a storm, Aemilia chuckled and replied, "Oh dear, are you going to swoon?"

"I just might," Lukas replied. Then he reached out for Bucky and mockingly pled, " _Hold me_ ," then laughed when Bucky made a face and pushed him away.

Summer breathed a sigh of relief. It would appear that all was well after all. This was further confirmed by Aemilia, who pulled her aside as the boys continued their good-natured bickering and told her quietly, "I can tell by the look on your face how nervous you are, and I just want to assure you that Lukas and I regret none of our actions from last night and we sincerely hope that you feel the same way."

"Oh, yeah, definitely," Summer nodded eagerly, smiling as almost all of the tension left her shoulders. "I just... last night was... _insane_ , and I was worried because none of us really talked about it beforehand, so..."

"Yes, and that isn't normally how Lukas and I operate," Aemilia nodded. "With a few exceptions, we've always talked first with those whom we've brought into our bed and set boundaries and discussed comfort zones and such well in advance. We aren't always so... spontaneous."

"... Me either," Summer laughed nervously. "I mean, I kinda... um... I can't really believe that I was half naked in a nightclub, having a, um... I guess mini-foursome with my husband and our best friends."

Aemilia smiled back and bit her lip. "I'm still quite surprised as well. But I'm very proud of you and how brave you were. You impressed Lukas and I both, you know."

"... I did?" Summer asked, eyes widening a little bit. If she were a puppy, her head would have been tilted adorably to the side and her tail would have been furiously wagging in delight at those words.

"Oh yes," Aemilia nodded, her expression growing a bit mischievous. "And to be perfectly honest with you, it's something we've both wanted for longer than you could imagine. We've had plenty of fun in the past talking about it and imagining it, but of course we never would have propositioned such a thing while you and Bucky were finally getting closer and overcoming so much together. So for last night to have sort of... fallen into our laps, it was just _glorious_."

 _Holy frick_. Summer gaped like a fish for a moment before stammering, "O-oh."

Aemilia giggled at her apparent speechlessness, grabbing her hand and tugging her towards the table. "Now come on. Now that we've settled _that_ , I'm starving and there's an apple fritter with my name on it."

Summer chuckled and followed Aemilia to the table, leaving the men still bantering at the coffee station. It was then that Summer finally noticed the other four residents currently in the room, one of whom was Lizzie who looked a bit worse for wear as she stared blearily at the steaming cup of coffee sitting in front of her. Summer took the chair next to hers, looking at her unusually disheveled appearance in concern and asking, "You okay, Mom?"

Lizzie groaned and ran a hand through her messy blonde ponytail, shaking her head and muttering, "Tequila's Satan's water."

Summer chuckled and, as Aemilia sat next to her with her apple fritter successfully claimed, she asked, "What did you _do_ last night?"

Lizzie looked at both girls with suddenly wide eyes and replied in a loud whisper, " _Everything_."

Summer furrowed her brows in confusion and then glanced up towards the adjoining kitchens, realizing then that Tony and Pietro were currently engaged in a battle over pancakes - as in they were literally both cooking pancakes themselves in some sort of throwdown while Frieda stood nearby and watched in great amusement, sipping a mimosa.

"... Like what?" Aemilia asked, curiosity more than peaked.

Lizzie blew out a breath and then leaned back in her seat before angling herself closer to the girls as she replied, "Well, after you guys left, Tony decided he needed a drink and Pietro offered to play bartender for the four of us. Me, Tony, Frieda, him. So we said okay and headed to the bar, and... well... things happened."

Summer's eyes grew large. "Like... what?"

"In my defense," Lizzie began preemptively, "I've literally never been a slut in my entire life and I suffered with either terrible or nonexistent sex for over 20 years with your father, so I mean... I deserve to let loose a little, right?"

"... Mom, I'm kind of scared for you to explain but if you don't spit it out, I'm gonna scream," Summer replied, eyes still comically wide.

"... Fine," Lizzie sighed. She then shrugged and said, "To put it bluntly, we all got drunk and started making out and one thing led to another and we had a... well, foursome? Or is that just an orgy at that point?"

Aemilia choked on her pastry, and Summer's jaw hit the floor. " _Mom_!"

"I know, I know, but _oh my God_ , Summer, it was the best night of my life!" Lizzie gushed, a little more life coming to her features as she recalled the previous night. "I had no idea but it turns out I'm a little gay! Or... maybe more than a little, I don't know, but -"

Summer was caught between horror and surprise and more horror as she continued to stare open-mouthed at her mother and flounder for words. Aemilia recovered a lot more quickly, giggling and asking Lizzie, "Are you serious?"

"100%," Lizzie nodded. "It was absolutely... just... there's no words for it. Like, okay, obviously I knew Tony is bananas in bed because we've been going at it for awhile now since my divorce was final. But watching him with a _guy_?! _Holy guacamole, Batman_!"

"... Pietro?" Aemilia grinned.

Lizzie nodded again, growing even more animated. "It was so hot. And, like I said, I guess I've got some gay in me too. And Frieda - she, uh... she knows her way around a woman."

"Oh yes, I imagine so," Aemilia replied casually while Summer continued to flail silently. "She... broadened her horizons after the death of her husband. She sort of had a bit of a harem thing going on for awhile, before Pietro came along, and she even dated a Victoria's Secret model for a few months. She didn't try to hide it, so it caused quite the scandal among the society gossips while it lasted."

"... Well," Lizzie sighed, "she definitely... yeah. She definitely knows what she's doing. And Pietro - _okay_. I'm just gonna say it. He has the hottest ass of any man I've ever seen. And I got to grab it and squeeze it and -"

" _Mom_!" Summer squealed, slapping her hands over her ears. "I'm really glad you got to experiment and stuff and have a crazy night like that because you really do deserve it, but my brain is melting out of my ears."

Aemilia, giggling at Summer's discomfort, leaned forward and asked Lizzie, "I'm curious... Tony and Pietro... what was that like?"

Lizzie whimpered and glanced their way, the two men still in the kitchen trying to best each other in the contest of who could cook their women breakfast the fastest. "Well, Pietro's pretty straight, but it turns out he'll do pretty much anything to make Frieda happy, and Tony said it had been forever since he'd been with a guy, so..."

"... But they always fight so much and get on each other's nerves," Aemilia pointed out.

"Oh yeah," Lizzie nodded, "but I can definitely say that Pietro found a really good way to shut Tony up for awhile. You know... keep his mouth occupied."

Summer dropped her head on the table and groaned while Aemilia's grin widened. The thing was, Summer actually found the idea of what was being said to be pretty damn hot, but she couldn't quite work her way around the mental block in place due to her mom being present for the whole deal. Two beautiful men with a significant age difference getting it on was a very appealing concept, but when one's parent was involved in any capacity... _ugh_.

"So yeah, anyway, it was a beautiful night," Lizzie sighed. "I got to make out with a woman for the first time, a gorgeous guy half my age, and my boyfriend who was crazy enough to suggest the whole thing in the first place."

"I do hope you did more than merely make out with each of them," Aemilia said.

"Oh I did. I'm just trying to spare poor Summer here," Lizzie replied, patting Summer's back. Summer merely groaned in response, her face still buried in her arms on the table.

Just then, Lukas and Bucky finally made their way over. Lukas sat next to Aemilia and Bucky opted to take Lukas' other side, and Lukas wasted no time in noting Summer's distress and asking, "So, what did we miss?"

He didn't get his answer, because that was when Tony and Pietro finally came to the table bearing two high-piled plates of freshly cooked pancakes, Frieda just behind them. "I won," Tony announced proudly, setting down the plate in front of Lizzie. "Which should surprise exactly nobody."

"You did not!" Pietro argued, setting down his own massive plate in front of Frieda as she sat at her usual seat at the head of the table. "It was a tie! Frieda said so."

"Yeah, well, she's biased," Tony shrugged. "I'm obviously the best pancake-maker."

Frieda sighed and pointed out, "Darling, neither of you had ever flipped a pancake before in your lives. And by the way, Pietro, as much as I appreciate this... there is no possible way that I can eat twelve pancakes."

"I'll take some!" Summer quickly volunteered, figuring the lingering look of horror on her face might lighten up a bit if she was able to keep busy by stuffing her mouth full of food.

Eyeing the pancakes in confusion as Pietro happily shared the bounty with Summer, Bucky asked with his cup of coffee in hand, "Why the hell are you guys _cooking_?"

"Because everything's always a competition with these two," Lizzie replied, gesturing towards the men. " _Everything_."

Summer choked a little. Lukas began to notice the odd looks on both hers and Aemilia's faces, and combined with how clearly hungover Lizzie was, he couldn't help but ask, "I take it the post-baby shower festivities last night involved a copious amount of liquor?"

"We put a pretty big dent in the tequila supply," Tony nodded, taking a big bite of the pancakes he'd made. After chewing for a moment he blinked and decoded, "Wow, that's almost edible."

"It's good," Lizzie smiled, patting his leg. "Thanks for making them."

Lukas, still quite sure that he wasn't getting the full picture, continued to gauge the odd expressions surrounding him - Pietro was especially odd, as he kept looking at Tony and then quickly looking away - so he continued his line of questioning. "So what did you crazy kids get up to - tequila shots and bingo? Or an all night _Jeopardy!_ marathon?"

Frieda raised an eyebrow with her fork halfway to her mouth and replied, "Did you just dare to crack an _old person joke_ about your mother, Lukas?"

"I would never," Lukas assured her with a humorous grin while she rolled her eyes.

"Actually, yeah, sounds about right," Tony shrugged. "Bingo night at the manor." Lizzie then erupted into contagious little giggles, Summer made a face and groaned, and even Frieda couldn't help but start laughing a little herself. Pietro covered his face to hide his own grin, and Lukas officially became highly suspicious of the entire lot of them.

"Oh dear," Aemilia said after glancing at her husband. "He has his Sherlock face on. You're all in trouble now."

"Give me a break," Bucky rolled his eyes, casually biting into a toasted bagel. "It's fucking obvious."

"... It is?" Lizzie squinted.

Lukas' eyes flew to Bucky. "What's obvious?"

Bucky stared at him blankly, clearly not impressed. "Really?"

Lukas on the verge of growing genuinely agitated. " _What_?"

"I'm really enjoying this," Tony piped up. "I don't think I've ever seen Lukas so confused before."

Just as Lukas opened his mouth and appeared ready to explode with frustration, Bucky put a hand on his shoulder and sighed, "Lukas, come on man. Bingo night. Only so many things that can mean, 'cause you know they sure as hell weren't actually playing _that_."

And that was when it all finally clicked, and Lukas' expression went from annoyed and confused to blank and then finally, shocked and mildly horrified. He whipped his head around to glare at Tony whom he instantly felt an endless amount of rage against, but Aemilia quickly spoke reason to him. "Darling, you can hardly be mad considering the sort of night the four of _us_ had last night."

"Oh my God, Aemilia, _why_?!" Summer wailed, dropping her fork and slapping her hands over her yet again-blushing face. "Why can't we all just eat breakfast and talk about the weather or something?!"

"Wait a minute," Lizzie blinked. "What kind of night did the four of _you_ have?"

The entire table fell silent as each group of four stared at the other. Bucky continued eating his bagel, completely unfazed. Lukas was alternating death glares between Tony and Pietro, because dammit it was bad enough that he had to deal with Pietro being all over his mother, but now _this too_?! Aemilia was her usual adorable self, smiling a little shyly and avoiding eye contact while Summer was the epitome of wishing the floor would open up and swallow the entire room whole. Lizzie was flabbergasted, Tony was continuing to eat while staring at everyone, and Pietro was downing a mimosa of his own while Frieda simply seemed amused.

"Well," Tony surmised, "I guess 80's night was apparently as interesting as our bingo night. And for the record, big guy - I did not defile your mother, so stop looking at me like that."

"I don't care what you say," Lukas shot back. "I _know_ you - _intimately_. I know exactly how you are and what you're capable of, and -"

"And you don't have to worry," Tony interrupted him, "because now _that_ guy -" he jabbed a thumb in Pietro's direction, " - is the one who also knows all of that, a lot more than she does."

"Oh dear God," Pietro sighed, sinking back into his chair in mild agony and continuing to chug his drink.

"It's true," Frieda shrugged. "I mostly just watched where Tony was concerned, so Lukas, please take a breath before that vein in your forehead bursts. You don't need to defend my honor."

Lukas merely glared a bit longer at Tony and Pietro both before looking away and muttering aggressively about people needing to keep their filthy, unworthy paws to themselves and off of his mother. Aemilia then lightened the mood by declaring, "Well, for what it's worth, I think it's lovely that the four of you had so much fun. It's a wonderful thing to have friends you're so close to and trust so fully."

"Yeah... about that," Tony leaned forward, gesturing to the two youngest couples in the room. "So..."

"You're not getting shit out of us," Bucky decreed, leaving no room for argument in the matter. "So drop it."

Summer breathed a sigh of relief and fell in love with Bucky a little bit more. Aemilia grinned and then replied to Tony, "Well, the Boss spoke, so there you have it."

"Mhm," Tony said, shoving another giant forkful of pancakes into his mouth. "I'm on to you, Murder Daddy."

Bucky actually grinned a bit and chuckled at that before glancing at Summer, who blushed and hid her face behind her own cup of coffee. Tony then added, "And by the way, Summer dear, your neck looks like it was attacked by a pack of angry raccoons last night. What is he _doing_ to you?"

Summer giggled but said nothing, glancing at Aemilia who snickered under her breath and gave Summer a knowing look because while Bucky was responsible for a lot of those marks on her skin... so was Aemilia.

Then, after a few moments of semi-comfortable silence, Thor arrived and stepped into the dining room with a loud and boisterous, "Good morning, everyone!"

"Good morning, son," Frieda smiled sweetly, giving nothing away.

Thor smiled back but quickly took notice of the bizarre expressions on everyone else's faces. He'd clearly walked into the room at a very odd moment, so he glanced at the still-grumbling Lukas and asked, "What did I just walk into, because I obviously just walked into _something_."

"Mother had a foursome involving Tony Stark last night, and I'm currently exercising great self control so that I don't break his neck."

Frieda sighed and lowered her forehead to her hand. Pietro stared sadly at his now-empty glass, and the ever-shameless Tony merely shrugged at Thor.

Thor raised an eyebrow and then made a face while eyeing Tony distrustfully. "Well, that is revolting. Mother, can't you just go back to lingerie models?"

" _Yes_!" Lukas exclaimed. " _Thank you_! What was so terrible about the lingerie models that now you must stoop to _him_?!"

"Hey!" Tony shot back with offense. "Remember when _you_ 'stooped' to me a few years back?!"

"Tony is a perfectly attractive man," Frieda pointed out. "And if you absolutely must know, I was far more occupied with Lizzie than him, and that is the last I'll say on the matter because I don't have to justify myself to anyone, even my own sons."

Aemilia raised her glass of orange juice and said with an incredible amount of respect for her mother in law, "I'll drink to that." Frieda then raised her glass as well to toast her back, daring anyone in the room to say anything else. They didn't.

"Well," Thor smiled uncomfortably, "I'll just... be on my way to work, then. Have a good day, everyone!" He smiled cheerfully and waved, then left the room before any further damage could be done to his psyche.

Once he was gone, the room slipped into silence again. It lingered uncomfortably until Summer cleared her throat and piped up, "So... I, uh... I heard it might rain today. Did anyone else... hear that it might rain today?"

And with that stellar conversation starter, the entertaining tension of the previous moments began to dissipate as by some miracle, the conversation actually did turn away from _bingo night_ to other and far more innocuous subjects like the weather and some professional sports championship that Summer knew nothing about. It gave the men something to bicker about other than what they may or may not have done to the other's mother the previous night, and Summer's face had finally begun to return to a more human and less tomato color by the time the two older couples finished their meals and got up to leave and get their days started. Once they were gone, Summer took her first deep breath in ages and slumped a little in relief.

"That was... _ugh_ ," Summer sighed once the four of them were alone again.

"And incredibly coincidental," Aemilia added. "Was last night a full moon?"

"Must have been," Bucky remarked, finishing off his coffee.

Lukas snarled a little and declared, "Last night was a beautiful and special night that I shall not have soiled in my mind by Tony nor Pietro or their filthy hands and filthy, useless co-"

" _Okay_ ," Aemilia giggled, patting him on his forearm. "Relax, darling. Besides, be honest with us - you slept with Tony once before and have told me more than once how good it was. And long before Pietro ever showed interest in your mother, I caught you checking him out more than once."

"Yes, but then he _showed interest in my mother_ and now he deserves to die slowly and painfully," Lukas pointed out as if that were painfully obvious.

"Let it go, man," Bucky advised him. "You and your mom are basically the exact same person. Just accept it."

Lukas turned and glared at Bucky half-heartedly. "I'm not terribly impressed with you right now, James."

Then Summer couldn't help but ask, "You don't seem as mad at my mom as you are at Tony, though."

Lukas then turned and looked at Summer slightly incredulously. "Well, of course I'm not. Why would I be mad at _her_?"

Summer paused. "Uh..."

"Don't mind him," Aemilia told Summer. "He can't help it. He watched his father mistreat his mother for so long that now this is how he reacts when anything with a penis comes within ten feet of her."

"Oh," Summer said a bit quietly, glancing at Lukas. "That makes sense."

"Yes," Lukas replied, "but let's just forget about all of that for now because frankly, I wasn't finished basking in the glow of last night and I'm rather angry that I was interrupted in doing so."

"Well," Aemilia agreed with a grin at Summer, "there was quite a lot to bask in, wasn't there?"

Summer blushed and then glanced at Bucky, who grinned back at her the minute they made eye contact. "Yeah," she smiled, unable to quite look away from him. "Definitely a lot."

"I take it the two of you had a long night after we parted ways?" Aemilia asked. "You both look exceptionally well-rested today."

"Yeah," Bucky replied, still grinning at Summer. "You could say that. When did the two of you finally making it home?"

"After thoroughly tearing apart the VIP room," Lukas replied mischievously. "You two left us in quite a state."

"Yeah, I know the feeling," Bucky chuckled, recalling how worked up he had been driving home and how Summer had remedied that.

"We had a truly wonderful time," Aemilia told them both warmly, her eyes affectionate and cheeks bearing a very pretty twinge of pink. "And as spontaneous and unexpected as it was... Lukas and I really do hope it can happen again some time in the future."

"Preferably in a very large bed rather than a nightclub," Lukas grinned.

Summer looked at Bucky to double check his feelings on the matter before giving an answer, and his confirmation was as clear as day in his eyes. He didn't even need to nod. "Yeah," she smiled, eyeing both Lukas and Aemilia shyly, her heart skipping a beat when she recalled being half naked and touched by them both and kissed within an inch of her life, not to mention how good Aemilia was with her fingers. "We, um... we'd like that too. I don't know when exactly, but... yeah. Definitely."

"Good," Aemilia smiled, looking at Summer in a way that made her feel both excited and nervous at the same time.

"You know," Lukas said, grinning at Summer before turning to Bucky and giving him the same sort of look that his wife was giving Summer, "the possibilities are truly endless. We can show you both so many new things and help you explore anything that you wish. I'm not ashamed to say that it's sort of our speciality."

"... Yeah," Bucky nodded, blinking a few times and seemingly finding himself unsure of what to say. Then he cleared his throat and said, "Just as long as you never try to shove anything up my ass, we're good."

The girls immediately burst out giggling while Lukas let out a burdened sigh and replied, "That's terribly limiting and you will probably change your mind someday, but _fine_."

Bucky shook his head. "Not gonna happen."

"It very well might," Lukas pointed out. "Never say never."

Bucky shook his head yet again. "Nope."

Lukas narrowed his eyes. "Believe me when I tell you, you must try it once. And I don't mean from me - your lovely little wife can accomplish that task herself. Aemilia would be happy to teach her the mechanics of it."

Summer's eyes promptly fell out of her skull - figuratively of course - and Aemilia chimed in, "Oh, of course. She can come to the classes I teach on Sundays - 'Pegging 101'."

Bucky chuckled at her joke, crinkling his nose adorably, though still ultimately replying, "Yeah, no thanks."

"Well, that's all right," Lukas decided. "There is still plenty left to play with, isn't there?"

"Always," Bucky agreed, eyes moving to Summer once more. He smirked as she bit her lip and tried not to smile, but she just couldn't help it.

"Oh!" Lukas said as if he were just remembering something important, turning back to Summer. "Do you know what I recalled shortly after you left the club last night?"

"... No," Summer smiled.

"Do you remember last Christmas, and the cocktail that sniveling little Sokovian asshole made you in your honor?"

Summer blinked for a moment before replying, "Oh yeah! Pietro's _Christmas in July_ thing."

"Yes," Lukas smirked. "And do you recall what I said when I tried it?"

... She _did_ recall exactly what he said, word for word. Her face engulfed by flames all over again, she nearly whimpered, "Oh God."

For Bucky's benefit, because he hadn't been there at the time to hear for himself, Lukas replied, "I said, _so that's what you taste like. Sweet with a kick_."

Summer squirmed a little in her seat, finding it hard to make eye contact with anyone because they were _all_ looking at her the same damn way - like they found her adorable and they each wanted to take turns eating her alive.

"I felt that it was worth mentioning because as it turns out... you are far more exquisite than any silly cocktail could ever hope to be," Lukas added, his voice like silk and sex rolled into one and _dammit_ , it was way too early for Summer to be able to handle this.

She tried hard to come up with something, anything to say back, but all she could manage was a weak, "Um... uh... thank... you?"

"You're very welcome, Kitten," Lukas grinned back, absolutely reveling in torturing the poor girl.

A few moments of quiet followed where the four friends sat there in varying states of compromise, Summer's by far the worst, and all of them quite enjoying it. Then Bucky was the one to break the silence by saying, "All right, before we all end up fucking on this table... we should probably get up and actually do some shit."

Lukas sighed. "If you insist. What's on the agenda today?"

"Not a lot," Bucky replied. "Need to hit the gym though."

"Good, I'll join you," Lukas decided.

"Ooh!" Aemilia smiled at Summer. "While they're doing that, you can help me get all my new baby stuff settled into the nursery!"

And just like that, despite all the sexual tension present between all four of them, everything snapped back to normal. Lukas and Bucky were still the best of friends who would bicker like an old married couple until the day they died, and Summer and Aemilia were kindred spirits who meshed so well and so effortlessly that it was hard for either of them to comprehend how they had lived so long without the other in their lives. They could go from outrageously flirtatious and rather filthy to completely normal and cute at the drop of a hat, apparently, and Summer wasn't going to dare question something that apparently came so naturally.

It was bewildering and strange and wonderful and beautiful, sort of like Summer's entire life thanks to Bucky's intrusion within it. It was going to take her awhile to process everything that was happening and just how awesome it was, but she wasn't in a rush to do so because she trusted Bucky and their two closest friends with her life and heart and didn't fear them letting her down in the least.

It was a beautiful feeling, and the best possible distraction from the danger always lurking on the outside of their safe little bubble within the manor. And that was something that she was _especially_ grateful for.

Plus... the three hottest and most impressive and brilliant people she had ever known all adored her and were _quite_ into her. Could it ever truly get any better than that?


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: *waves at everyone* WELL HOWDY THERE :D Sooooo... let's just get the elephant in the room taken care of right away LOL. So this previous chapter definitely earned some mixed reviews, probably the most significantly mixed ones I've ever gotten for a single chapter of any story, and while I fully expected it not to be everyone's cup of tea I can definitely admit that I was quite surprised by just how deeply some of you guys disliked it. I could go on a long tangent here defending my choices and the characters themselves but I'm going to instead try to keep this as brief as possible because, well, we all have our opinions and tastes and preferences and me droning on and on about it isn't likely to change anyone's minds. So instead let me just say that number one, I stand by everything I wrote and contend that it was indeed something that for me grew organically within the story from essentially day one, and I do consider it fully in character (and relevant) for everyone involved. Secondly, this is fanfiction. I write it for free and I can only write what inspires me and makes sense to me, just as readers choose what to read based on what they enjoy. I'm not shoving anything down anyone's throat. If last chapter was a dealbreaker for some of you, then so be it but do keep in mind I'm not establishing a poly relationship here and that foursomes will _not_ be a regular occurrence in the least. Third, no, the story has not become porn and devoid of plot. Every story contains phases where there is more of certain content - action, drama, humor, etc. - and the last few chapters happened to contain more sex scenes than usual because the story finally got to the stage where they were possible in the first place. It reflects where Bucky and Summer currently are in their relationship, and this _is_ an M rated story and anyone who's read my previous fics knows what to expect from me. Midnightwings96 and I have been planning every inch of this story for going on two years. I can assure all of you that we know what we're doing. Fourth - for my explanations and feelings on why the foursome was completely in character and developmentally important for the characters AND story, please refer to MorningGlory2's amazing review and insanoire's also amazing review because anything I could say would just be repeating what they already have said and they are probably a lot less long winded than me :p (and thank you to both ladies for taking the time to write what you both did I LOVE YOU and am INCREDIBLY grateful). I appreciate everyone's honesty these last few weeks and I included a scene in this chapter that I hope will further explain why I wrote what I did and why it makes sense to me, but again if I truly do lose some of you, then that's a shame but, well, we all have to stay true to ourselves, writers and readers both. I've had to walk away as a reader from a few stories that I followed for ages because they went down a path I couldn't follow, so I get it and I respect it. But just let me reiterate - foursomes will not be a regular occurrence lol, and the plot is OF COURSE alive and well. Everything is moving along exactly as planned, and there's always a reason for everything that I write. Even the bingo night thing (which was not meant for shock value, but for humor! C'mon, wasn't it a leeeeetle bit funny? Bingo night? Get it? Sigh lol). So anyway, this wasn't brief at all lol but it's really all I ultimately have to say in the matter. Oh, and just to throw it out there, midnightwings96 said that if anyone's still mad and needs someone to fight, they can fight her via PM. Lol. **

**SO ANYWAY, yay I managed to write another chapter amid the joys of horrifyingly intense heartburn and generally feeling uncomfortable AND wanting to eat everything in sight (entering the third trimester now, woo hoo!) and I'm super excited to share it with you guys! Thank you all as usual for your loyalty and feedback - the good, the bad and the ugly LOL - and thank you to midnightwings96 for making all of this even possible by keeping me focused when I need it and providing MUCH needed feedback and help that I would be lost without, and my thanks as well to MorningGlory2 for her incredible support and general awesomeness that I am BEYOND grateful for and probably wholly unworthy of :p I hope you guys like this chapter and I hope to get the next one up soon! :D**

Early in the morning in the heart of the city, Lukas and Aemilia were fueled on coffee and sitting next to one another in the board room of Pierce Consolidated, seated at the head of the long dark oak table like they always were. Being co-CEOs and equals in every sense of the word, Lukas always took care to make sure that their seats were within equal distance to each other and that Aemilia never appeared to come second to him, especially in front of the decision-makers within the company. He was well aware of how silly and appearance-obsessed people were, after all, and in his mind, he thought of it rather similarly to how a queen's throne sat directly next to that of the king's, rather than below it.

Not to mention, the deliberate positioning allowed them to occasionally be able to nudge or tease one another under the table without anyone seeing. On this particular morning, Lukas found himself in dire need of a third cup of coffee if he was expected to continue listening to the droning of the current speaker, one of the oldest men on the board and also one of the least articulate. It wasn't that the man couldn't speak - on the contrary, he knew how to do nothing _but_ speak, and repeat the same idea at least five times in as many different ways. Today, he was giving a presentation on the company's latest projections for the next quarter across their European divisions, and Lukas could barely keep his eyes open.

Aemilia was well aware of this, and once his eyes finally closed and his head began slowly slipping down, she playfully kicked him under the table with her high-heeled foot. He jolted up and blinked rapidly a few times, looking at her and finding an amused little grin on her pretty face. He smirked a bit and nudged her back with his foot, and her smile widened before she turned back to the man speaking and pretended to be engrossed with his speech.

Lukas forced himself to do the same, suppressing a groan. He only lasted 30 seconds before looking to his left and signaling his assistant, who was in the corner and staring down at his phone with his eyebrows furrowed. The assistant - a lovely and hard working but anxious fellow named Sean - quickly glanced up and hurried over, leaning down to listen as Lukas whispered to him.

"I need the strongest cup of coffee you can find in this building," Lukas told him somewhat desperately. "If I wasn't aware of the risk of cardiac arrest, I'd tell you to dump a Red Bull into it for good measure."

"Of course, sir, but there's something... well, it's... urgent. Bad urgent," Sean replied, showing Lukas his phone rather than trying to whisper the bad news. Lukas furrowed his brow before taking the phone and reading the email that had been sent to his work account less than five minutes earlier.

He had to read it three times before he believed it.

As he stared at the phone first in disbelief and then in the first inklings of rage, Aemilia noticed and leaned over to see for herself what was going on. Lukas then looked up and stared ahead blankly as the wheels turned in his head, until Aemilia whispered after reading the email, "How is this possible?"

Lukas then turned his gaze on her, and despite her question, they both knew the answer to that question almost immediately.

For _months_ he had been secretly arranging the quiet takeover of a _huge_ company with high strategic value, and the deal had been all but done save for a few last remaining signatures. The only souls alive who had known of this deal were himself, Aemilia, Bucky, the board, and Alexander Pierce himself - the most trustworthy human beings within the entire company. Lukas had run point on the entire thing and had negotiated directly with the CEO himself - he had played it as close to the chest as he possibly could have.

And yet now an almost painfully obvious shell company of the Triad had swooped in at the literal last minute and, as of a whole ten minutes prior, absorbed the company for its own. The deal was done and finished, and none of it made a single lick of sense. It was as if the Triad were taunting them.

Lukas and Aemilia both knew that there could only be one reasonable explanation. They already knew that there was a spy in their midst, and this was only further confirmation of that fact.

Handing the phone back to Sean, Lukas stood up and immediately had all eyes on him, just as he expected. The mind-numbingly monotonous presentation pausing as a result, he first addressed the speaker and said, "Bernard, I think we understand your points just fine without being subjected to another 20 slides of identical information. Now if none of you would mind please standing up and stepping away from the table for a moment."

Aemilia was already up and on her feet and now a foot behind Lukas. As each board member stared at him like he was crazy and began to ask varying forms of _what the hell are you talking about_ all at the same time, Lukas rolled his eyes and said a bit more firmly and less politely this time, " _I said_ get up and step away from the table. _Please_."

He hissed the final word far more like a command than a plea. While they were all still quite bewildered, this time they did as he said and one by one the table emptied. Once they were all a safe distance away, Lukas then sent a collective gasp throughout the room by grabbing the table - not a particularly light piece of furniture - and flipping it over to the floor like it was made of paper.

"What the hell is going on?" Bernard snapped, apparently still quite miffed that he'd been interrupted and staring at Lukas like he'd lost his mind.

Lukas ignored him and began to examine the overturned piece of furniture, running his hands along the sides and edges and the little books and crannies within. Once his fingers brushed against something that was clearly not supposed to be there, he reached down to pluck a tiny, barely visible little speck off of the table's underside, placed tellingly closely to where he and Aemilia always sat. He then lifted it up closer to his eyes and saw a telltale little blinking red light, his simmering rage bursting into a storm beneath the surface as his suspicions were confirmed. He showed the listening device to Aemilia, and she looked at him with understanding and clear dread before he dropped it on the floor and smashed it with his foot.

They both immediately then pulled out their phones and began making calls. Michael McAdams, Summer's father and a board member since he had sold his soul to the Bratva months ago, asked, "What does this mean?"

Answering the question as simply as he could, Lukas replied, "It means that certain situations are worse than we thought. And that life is about to become considerably more difficult for all of us."

There was one tiny little silver lining, however, he supposed. He was most definitely fully awake now, at least.

* * *

Far away from the hustle and bustle of the city and the unfolding crisis at the office, Summer found herself somewhere she'd never been before - buried up to her neck in luxuriously hot water within Bucky's utterly to die for bathtub.

It was nothing short of paradise on earth.

"... You never should have let me get in here," Summer groaned in pure bliss, her head leaned back and eyes closed and body at its most relaxed state possibly ever. Bucky had woken up a bit more sore than usual and very stiff, chronic pain rearing its ugly head, and a good remedy for that was a soak in his tub that Summer had been all to willing to accept his invitation to.

"Why's that?" Bucky asked with amusement, sprawled out across from her and running a hand along her leg under the water. Facing one another with limbs tangled and yet still leaving plenty of room for both of them to be beautifully comfortable, he couldn't help but think to himself how surprising it was that she seemed to fit in it just right, like the damn tub had been built to accommodate them both all along.

"Because I might never get out," she grinned, cracking her eyes open. "I'm serious. I'm gonna have to do all my work from here, eat meals, everything. I'm gonna turn into a literal prune, but it's gonna be totally worth it."

He chuckled and gently stretched out her leg, bringing her inner ankle to his lips and kissing it gently while maintaining eye contact. "Pretty sure I'd find a way to get you out eventually."

She bit her lip and shook her head. "Nope, because we can just do _that_ here too."

"Damn," he said, leaning back but keeping her leg draped over him, "don't let my bed hear that. Might get its feelings hurt hearing you gushing over a new object of obsession."

Summer giggled. "Well... I might be able to find room for _both_ in my heart, but... me and this bathtub definitely need to start having a thing."

"Pretty sure you already are," Bucky replied. "Just based on the sounds you made when you first got in."

"... Those weren't my fault," she pointed out. "Like... this is pure sex in bathtub form."

"You feel really strongly about my bathtub," he grinned crookedly, raising an eyebrow. "Should I be worried?"

She grinned back and looked him over, a wall of muscle and tattoos wet all over from the hot water, long hair pushed back and behind his ears and tickling his shoulders, handsome face framed by a perfect layer of light scruff, and Summer shrugged and replied, "Nah. I'd much rather bang you than the bathtub. I don't even know _how_ to bang a bathtub and I'd be scared to find out."

He smirked and started absently running his hand up and down her leg again, telling her, "Well, as much as I don't wanna move either... we will eventually have to get out and go to work."

" _Nooo_ ," she pouted, sliding deeper into the tub somehow and shaking her head. "I'm still recovering from the other night. I need at least another day off. Maybe two. Or a week."

" _What_ other night?" Bucky asked a bit deviously, though he of course knew full well which night she was referring to.

"You know. _The_ night, two nights ago," Summer replied, blushing a little just at the mention. "And Lukas and Aemilia would understand, right? Since... it's partially their fault that I'm still dead."

"Dunno about that," Bucky replied. " _They_ made it to work this morning. Probably expect the same out of us."

"Yeah, but... they're used to that kind of thing. I'm not. I'm lucky I'm not in a coma right now."

Bucky chuckled. "Well, I'm not exactly used to it either. I'm not used to... a _lot_ of things."

Summer smiled back, then hesitated a moment before asking, "Everything's still okay, right? Like with everything that happened? You're still not... mad or... haven't changed your mind or anything?"

Bucky groaned affectionately and dragged a hand over his face. "My God, Summer, how many times are you gonna ask me that?"

Blushing with faint embarrassment, Summer shrugged and giggled, "I don't know, I just wanna make sure, you know? I don't wanna get on your nerves, but..."

"You're not," he reassured her, laying another kiss just above her ankle. "I promise. But you gotta start believing me when I tell you that I'm not mad and I'm not gonna change my mind. I fucking loved every minute of that night."

"... Me too," Summer smiled a little shyly. "And it's not that I don't believe you, it's just... it took a few days for it all to sink in, you know? Like... all the stuff with Aemilia was one thing, but... Lukas kissing me the way he did and... touching me... seeing me almost naked... I don't know, I wasn't expecting it and I keep expecting you to think about it and suddenly get pissed off."

"Well... the thing is," Bucky explained, "he saw you almost naked because I pulled your dress down in front of him. He kissed you because I allowed him to. And he touched you because I took his hand and put it on you."

Staring at Bucky in nothing short of wonder, Summer all but marveled, "See... you're always so possessive though and just... I never thought you'd be the... sharing type?"

"I'm not," Bucky shrugged nonchalantly. "They're the only two people breathing on this earth that I'd even consider it with. And that's because I've known Lukas my whole life and I trust him, and Aemilia... I know their intentions and I can trust them both in ways I'd never trust anyone else. The shit they do - the threesomes with multiple people - I couldn't do that."

Summer nodded, trying to wrap her head around her husband's thought process. "Yeah... I mean, I think what they do is awesome, and all the threesomes are... _wow_ , but yeah, I wouldn't want to do the same thing either, I don't think. But they're different because... well..."

"Because you're curious," Bucky said, putting into words what she couldn't. "And they were there for you when I wasn't. Your friendship with Aemilia is especially deep, and you're attracted to both of them. I've noticed from the beginning how you look at them, Summer. You're an open book."

She cringed a little, not finding that particular fact to be of much comfort. "Oh."

He grinned. "Trust me, I wasn't surprised by any of it. Shocked that it was actually happening right in front of me and about to come in my fucking pants the whole time, _yeah_... but surprised, no, not exactly."

Biting her lip at his choice of words, she took a breath and nodded. "Okay. Well... I just wanted to make sure. You wanna know what shocked me the most about that night?"

Bucky paused and guessed, "That I didn't drive us off the road on our way home?"

She giggled and shook her head, recalling with glee why he'd come so close to doing just that. "No. It was when you kissed Lukas. That like... _wow_. I still can't believe I got to watch that."

Bucky looked away for a moment, still wearing a small little grin. Then he shook his head and met her gaze again, telling her softly, "It took me a little while to realize this, but... you know how throughout that whole thing at the club and back at home, I was calling the shots?"

She nodded. She _loved_ it when he called the shots and bossed her around. She loved it more than words could say.

"I like being in charge," he admitted. "I always have. And I thought that was all it was - getting off on being in control of someone, their pleasure, all of that. And that definitely plays a role, but... the minute you asked me to kiss him I realized how wrong I've been this whole time."

She tilted her head slightly, like a confused kitten. "What do you mean?"

"I'm wrapped around your finger, Summer," he confessed with a smile and even a slight blush touching his cheeks, as if he were almost embarrassed to admit that to her. "I only kissed him because you asked me to. Not saying I didn't enjoy it, 'cause I did. But I think I figured out the secret to the whole... dominating thing. The person submitting to you is really the one with all the power. Least in our case it is."

Her eyes a little wider and lips parted as her brain tried to process his words, Summer stared at him for a moment before squeaking, "... Really?"

He grinned. "Really."

"That's... kind of confusing, but... I think I understand."

Bucky nodded. "It's hard to explain. But I want to dominate you and control you because I see how much you love it and how you thrive off of it. I wanted you to play with them at the club because I could see how much you wanted it. And seeing you want something makes me want it so fucking bad I'll do anything to make it happen."

At first, those words brought a wave of dizzying warmth to Summer that made her smile almost dreamily and experience a burst of butterflies seemingly through her entire body. But after a moment, she blinked and then asked, "But... I mean... I'd never want you to do anything you don't want to do. I don't ever want you to feel like just because I want something you also have to want it, or -"

"No, no, no," Bucky chuckled, sitting up straighter and reaching out for her. "C'mere. Fucking hell, you're good at finding a way to take everything negative, aren't you?"

"... Maybe," she sighed as she sat up and made her way to him, scrambling to her knees and then letting him pull her into his lap.

"Well, stop that," he replied, pulling her down for a kiss. "I'm not gonna do something I don't _want_ to do. If you asked me to pierce my dick or shove glow in the dark beads up my ass, I'd have no problem saying thanks but no thanks."

Summer burst into giggles at that point, and Bucky laughed with her. "Okay, good. So kissing Lukas wasn't that bad then."

Bucky sighed in exasperation. "I _told_ you I enjoyed it. Look, he was my first kiss. Kissing him is like... I don't know. It's familiar, It's comfortable. I'm not interested in kissing any other men. I'm not attracted to men, never have been. But he's different, I guess, 'cause he's..."

"... Because he's _him_?" Summer guessed, because Lukas was, well... he was _Lukas_.

Bucky paused. "... Yeah. He knows what he's doing with his tongue, that's for sure."

Summer blushed all the way up to the tips of her ears. "Yeah. I know."

Bucky smirked a little. "My point is, I know him, I trust him. He's almost talked me into fucking him more than once over the years."

Summer's eyes widened. "Wait, real-"

"But the reason I enjoyed it as much as I did," Bucky continued without a hitch, "is because I knew you were watching and I knew how much _you_ were enjoying it. That's what I mean when I say I'm wrapped around your finger." Then he smiled and chuckled under his breath before adding, "And it's the most fucking freeing thing I've ever felt."

Her expression softening, she looked into his eyes and found she had no idea what to say to that. That was just fine, it turned out, because he wasn't finished yet.

"I don't have to think with you," he told her. "I spent so many years second guessing myself and locking myself up and just... drowning in my own fucking misery. And I catch myself defaulting to that sometimes and I hate it, but... when I'm with you and I let myself stop thinking and I just... let go... you have no idea how fucking addicting it is. Scares the shit out of me because I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you anymore."

Tears prickling the back of her eyes and her heart racing at his unexpected confession, Summer cupped his face gently in her hands and assured him, "You won't have to find out, I promise."

Blinking a few times and running his hands up and down her sides and her hips, he looked down at her lips and then at her beautifully dripping wet chest and murmured, "I'm trying to believe you. Trust me, I am."

"I'll keep saying it until you do," she replied, kissing him gently on his lips. "I love you."

He groaned and pulled her even closer, grinding her a little on his lap in the process. "Love you too, baby."

Then they were kissing, words forgotten for the moment and work commitments falling by the wayside as they let their bodies say what words sometimes couldn't. They could tell each other they loved one another until they were blue in the face, but for two people with as many insecurities and doubts that laid between the pair of them, sometimes the most comforting and effective thing in the world was their physical connection. It provided a comfort and a pleasure beyond merely the sexual kind, reassuring them both that they weren't alone anymore and the other was there and _wanted_ to be there, and might even stay there for awhile.

Summer broke the kiss first, needing air and sucking it in as he began kissing down her throat. He didn't stop until he reached her breasts, kissing along the swell of each as she tangled her fingers in his wet locks and said, "We're gonna be late for work."

He chuckled against her skin, squeezing her ass with both hands and grinding her much more deliberately against his growing need for her. " _Now_ you're worried about getting to work on time?"

She opened her mouth to answer, then moaned instead when his mouth closed around a nipple. " _Oh God_."

He took his time playing with her, eventually letting his tongue flick out and continue to tease her as his eyes shot up to hers. "You gonna be a good girl and ride my cock like I know you want to?"

She whimpered and nodded, closing her eyes and breathlessly replying, "Yes, Daddy."

Bucky growled under his breath and pulled her back down for a furious kiss, utterly loving it when she called him that and getting a thrill from it he never would have anticipated. He knew it was something specific to her and something only they would ever share, and that made it all the more intoxicating.

It was only mere seconds later that Summer got herself into position, lips still locked with his and arms clinging to him as she began to slide down and take him in. The familiar, delicious stretch within made her moan against his lips and sink down faster, greedy for more, and there couldn't have been a worse time for Bucky's phone to ring from its place on the bathroom counter across the room. But it did. Loudly.

Summer froze. Bucky didn't.

"Ignore it," he urged her lowly, thrusting up gently and making her bite back a squeal. She nodded and obeyed without hesitation.

But then her phone rang too. Pausing mid-bounce, Summer opened her eyes and looked at him in mild alarm.

Then the phones both ceased their incessant noise. They waited all of three seconds before they started ringing again, and at that point, both Bucky and Summer groaned with intense frustration.

Bucky grumbled and cursed up a storm as Summer sighed and climbed off of him. She scooted back to give him room and watched him stand up and step out of the tub, dripping water all over the floor as he stomped towards the counter. She pouted and stared at him the whole way, figuring she might as well enjoy ogling him if nothing else.

He tossed her phone to her before angrily picking up his own and answering, " _Fucking what_?"

Summer stifled a giggle at his word choice and answered her phone, an incoming call from Aemilia. "Hello?"

And then, almost in unison, both of their expressions fell as they each learned what news was behind the urgent calls. Summer looked up at Bucky, whose eyes went from beyond annoyed to blank to serous to utterly murderous, and a ball of anxiety replaced the smoldering desire that had previously taken up residency in her gut.

She thanked Aemilia quietly and hung up. Bucky muttered something angry in Russian and then told Lukas he was on his way, then tossed his phone down on the counter with another curse.

He turned his gaze back to Summer, who frowned before plastering a purposefully forced smile on her face and saying the only thing that came to mind, not knowing what the heck else to say at a time like that.

"Raincheck?"

* * *

Bucky was mostly silent on the way to the office, sharing a backseat with Summer but spending the ride wrapped up on his phone as it blew up with texts and calls. He answered one call in English and the other in Russian, and Summer was able to piece together from Aemilia's call and from listening to Bucky's first conversation that there had been another security breach. A bad one, if the resulting panic was any indication.

Once they arrived, Summer asked Bucky a question on the elevator ride up. "Should I be following you like this? Or... should I just go to my office and mind my own business?"

He shook his head, eyes still on his phone. "No, you should be there."

Summer nodded and looked up, watching the floor numbers tick by. "Just wasn't sure if it would look weird to have the event planner show up to the board room in the middle of a crisis."

"Well," Bucky said as the elevator came to a halt, "everyone who's gonna be in that room knows what's going on and knows you're a hell of a lot more than just our event planner."

And with that, Bucky glanced at her and took her hand in his as they stepped out of the elevator. She smiled at him and followed him to the board room, fairly certain that this was the first time he'd ever held her hand like that and walked her through their place of employment. It wasn't as if the others didn't know that they were married, but that wasn't the point. It was the way that he now showed no hesitation in asserting their relationship everywhere they went, including an office of their peers. It was such an enormous shift from their previous dynamic and if she was being honest, she loved it more than words could say.

However, she snapped out of her brief trip to la la land as soon as they entered the board room. All of the board members were there plus Lukas, Aemilia, Thor and Tony. Tony was apparently directing a tech team as they swept the room, and as soon as the door was shut behind them Bucky asked, "Where are we at?"

"We haven't found anything new," Lukas said, himself and Aemilia stepping away from the others to speak to them. "So far just the one device."

Bucky glanced at the team of gloved men combing through the room like an FBI division and then muttered, "This is bad."

"Pierce is going to be livid," Aemilia noted with a worried sigh.

"He already is," Bucky replied. "I talked to him on the way over. Didn't say much but when we're done he wants us on a conference."

Taking in the rather deconstructed state of the room and glancing at the board members, talking amongst themselves - including her father, whom she made brief eye contact with - Summer then interjected, "At the risk of stating the obvious... hardly anyone has access to this room, right? Like whoever did this is someone at a really high level?"

"Possibly," Lukas replied. "And therein lies the problem. We've known about this leak for months now and we've already cleared everyone who has access here - board members, executives, their staffs, the damn maintenance crew - and that leaves us with few remaining suspects."

"Unless we missed something," Aemilia replied. "We must have."

"But _what_?" Bucky asked of them both. "Who do you think we should be interrogating? If it's not the board or their damn secretaries, who should I be looking at right now? Sam? Nat? Fucking Jarvis?"

"No, that's absurd," Lukas replied. "But clearly we've rather mangled the investigation thus far because whoever it is has been under our noses this entire time and we are inexplicably blind to them."

Bucky eyed Lukas darkly and said, "Or its someone who's highly trained and skilled at slipping in and out of places they're not supposed to be and leaving no trace."

"Like who?" Summer asked Bucky. "Who do _you_ suspect?"

"Like Lukas said, we've been narrowing down the list since the first attacks," Aemilia told her, "but we are honestly no closer to finding the mole and this only makes things more confusing."

"I disagree," Bucky said. "I think you know as well as I do who this implicates."

Lukas frowned and Aemilia glanced at Summer before looking back to Bucky, and Summer furrowed her brows in confusion. "Who?"

When Bucky hesitated to answer, Lukas eyed him and then replied to Summer, "Scott has been at the top of his list of suspects since the last breach."

Summer's jaw nearly hit the floor. At first she thought he must have been joking - that was how ludicrous of an idea it was - but she quickly realized that Lukas was very serious and gaped at Bucky. "You think _Scott_ is the spy? Scott. _Scott Lang_."

"He's the best thief I've ever known," Bucky explained. "He's close to all of us, proximity-wise. All of this shit started happening not long after I got him out of prison."

"... But he's _Scott_ ," Summer pointed out. "He's - do you even understand what you're accusing him of?"

"Yes I do," Bucky replied, eyes and tone growing a bit sharper.

"He hates violence," Summer pointed out, "and whoever the mole is, they almost got Aemilia killed - and me! I know you don't like him but he'd never hurt a fly, and he'd especially never do anything to hurt a pregnant woman."

"He has a daughter who the Triad could have easily threatened if he didn't comply with their demands," Bucky replied. "That's more than enough motivation to make almost anyone do anything. They could have gotten to him in prison and made their threats then, before he even stepped foot back into the manor. And like I said, he's the one with the skills and proximity necessary to do all this shit."

"To be fair," Aemilia said as Summer's eyes widened in shock at her husband, "we've yet to find a shred of evidence to support this theory. But Tony is going to review security footage and hopefully we'll find something to point us in the right direction."

"Until then I want Scott followed," Bucky said. "I want his room bugged and his phone tapped. I want a fucking camera in his bedroom, his car, his damn bathroom."

Lukas nodded. "Understood."

Summer blinked a few times and then laughed completely humorlessly. "This is insane. I mean, if part of the reason you're going to suspect him of being the mole is because of timing, then I ought to be a suspect too because all of this started after I moved in."

At that, all three of the others fell tellingly silent. Summer wasn't stupid, and within seconds her eyes widened again and she asked anyone of them who would answer, " _Am_ I a suspect?"

"Not to anyone who knows you," Aemilia replied sincerely.

"A few... higher ups have mentioned your name a few times," Bucky shrugged, trying to downplay the matter. "I shut it down. Don't worry about it."

"... Well it's a little late for _that_ ," Summer replied, flabbergasted. "Seriously, does anyone actually really think _I_ did this? How could I be a suspect when I've been the one in danger half the time? Like I shot the Triad leader's son in the face as a coverup or something? Or -"

"Summer," Aemilia interrupted gently, "trust me, we know you've had nothing to do with any of this. The mere idea is absurd."

"Is there a camera in my bathroom too?" Summer asked Bucky, feeling instantly sick at the thought.

"No," Bucky insisted, seemingly aghast at the thought. "You've never been under surveillance or investigation at any point and you never will be. I've made sure of it."

Summer believed him - it was impossible not to with the fierceness in his eyes and behind his words - but her nerves were officially frazzled and her stomach crawling with anxiety at the thought of old men in Russia thinking she was possibly the one trying to sabotage the Bratva from within. It was written all over her face, but she tried to shake it off and believe Bucky and focus on the _other_ thing demanding her outrage. "Okay, well... that's gonna freak me out for like... ever, but I really can't express enough how wrong you are about Scott."

Lukas' phone rang just then and he glanced at it before stepping away to answer the call. The remaining three stood in silence for a brief moment before Tony called Aemilia over to look at something he might have found, leaving Bucky and Summer temporarily alone where they stood.

She turned nearly pleading eyes on her husband and said, "Seriously, Bucky."

He shook his head slightly and huffed a little under his breath before turning to her and quietly saying, "Listen, Summer, it's my job to run operations here and keep everyone safe. I have to be objective and from where I'm standing, he's the one who makes the most sense by far."

"But that's because you don't know him like I do!" she argued quietly. "And he's literally the worst liar in the world! There is absolutely no way he could be the one doing all of this. Even if just for the sake of argument, he _was_ the mole, the guilt alone would have made him have a huge breakdown and probably kill himself after what happened to Aemilia."

"I get that you trust him," Bucky muttered, not trying to hide how annoyed he was with her vigorous defense of him, "but I can't afford that luxury."

"But doesn't my trust count for _something_?" she asked. "I just... I _know_ it's not him. He's not perfect, but... he'd never hurt Aemilia and he would especially never do anything to put me in danger. Even if they threatened his daughter - he's not the kind of man to betray someone he cares about."

Bucky's eye twitched, and Summer immediately wondered if she should regret her choice of words. "Well," he murmured, working his jaw a little, "I'm glad you have so much trust in him. But I can't give him the benefit of the doubt just because you used to fuck him and think he can do no wrong."

It was such an absurdly jealous and ridiculous statement that Summer reeled as if she'd been slapped in the face. She stared at Bucky in disbelief and blurted, "Are you _kidding_ me?"

"No, not really," he replied as her anger grew. "You're new to this. I don't expect you to have the same standards of trust that I do."

"... What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you've lived a normal fucking life," he nearly snapped. "You've had the luxury of trusting people easily and I never have. I can't make calls based on emotion or a relationship you used to have."

"But you can make calls based on jealousy that's completely irrational and makes absolutely no sense?" Summer shot back, which seemed to do the trick of royally pissing Bucky off, if his expression was any indication. "So you really think I'm defending him just because we used to be together?Like I'm just... silly and vapid enough to think oh, yeah, we went on some pretty nice dates so I know he's a good guy? Not because I actually _know_ him and _know_ his character and know that he's the last person you should be suspicious of?"

"I don't think you're the best judge of character in this case, no," Bucky replied honestly, through slightly gritted teeth.

Summer paused, feeling words rushing to the tip of her tongue that she knew she should probably contain but ultimately could not. "Well I don't think you are either, because even though you say you're objective you're not and you know it. You hate him because I used to be with him and I don't think for a minute that he'd be your top suspect if I had no history with him."

"You can think what you want," Bucky replied, trying to be dismissive but sounding more bitter than anything. "I have to do my job. That's all it is."

"I don't believe that," Summer shrugged. Then she lowered her voice further due to the others in the room and added, "By the way, acting like I've had this totally normal great life? My own father sold me to you like a piece of meat to save his own skin and you think I don't have trust issues? _Really_?"

Bucky clenched his jaw and replied with a forced sense of calm, "This isn't the place to talk about this, and you're blowing it out of proportion and putting words in my mouth."

"No, you're just being a dick," Summer muttered. "And I get that you're stressed by all of this but you haven't talked to me like this since the very beginning and I'm not gonna listen to it now. I have to get to work."

She then turned and walked away, indignant for more than one reason, and Bucky watched her go without a word, at a loss for what to do or say. She simply kept walking, not seeing much point in staying there anyway since she wasn't one of the heavyhitters and served little purpose hanging around the board room. Once she got back into the hallway, she felt a hand on her shoulder and immediately shrugged it off and muttered, "Leave me alone." Then she glanced over her shoulder and slowed to a halt, her expression softening. "Oh. Hi, Dad."

Offering her his usual weak, nervous smile, Michael moved his hands to his pockets and chuckled, "Sorry. Just wanted to catch you while I could. It's been a hell of a day so far."

"Yeah," Summer nodded, her own head still spinning from it all. "You can say that again."

"We were supposed to get lunch last Friday," he reminded her. "And you never told me a good time to reschedule."

"Oh yeah, crap," she sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Last Friday was... kind of crazy. How about today? We can eat in my office or go somewhere."

"Whatever you'd like," Michael smiled, nodding. "I'd just be happy to spend more than three minutes with you at a time."

"Yeah, I know, sorry about that," she replied, trying to shake off the nagging guilt that always came whenever she was forced to acknowledge how low of a priority her father was these days. "I'm seriously just _really_ busy all the time. How have you been doing?"

"Oh, you know me," he shrugged. "Still kicking. How's Lizzie doing?"

"She's good," Summer nodded, definitely leaving out the fact that Lizzie was having the time of her life as of late and was incredibly happy with Tony. "Busy too. You know, you're welcome to come over whenever. I know I've told you that before, but seriously. You should come have dinner sometime."

Michael sighed and scratched the back of his neck, shaking his head. "I don't know. Just seems like it would be awkward. And I heard Lizzie's with the Tony guy now, so... probably best if I stay away."

"... Well, then just tell me a good time and I can come see you," Summer shrugged. "We'll make something work. What about you? Thinking about dating again?"

"Oh no," he laughed. "I'm done _there_. My uh, my therapist agrees that I need to fix myself before I even think about getting back into that, and even then, I just... I doubt it."

"You're in therapy?" Summer asked, _very_ surprised to hear that. First Bucky and now her dad who used to tell her that therapy was for whiners and crazy people?

He nodded. "Have been since the divorce was final. Kind of hit a dark place for awhile, but... I'm better now. Mostly."

She frowned. "You should have talked to me about it. I had no idea."

He waved off her concern. "I didn't want to be a burden, especially knowing what _you_ were going through. I lost you guys but _you_... you got thrown to the wolves and..." He paused. "Yeah, my guilt comes up in just about every session."

On the one hand, Summer didn't want to feel an ounce of sympathy because, well, he _should_ feel guilty for the danger he had singlehandedly placed her in. But on the other, he was her father and a lot of time had passed since then, and the rage she felt towards him had softened. Not disappeared, but definitely softened. "Well... for what it's worth, I'm doing fine now. I'm actually pretty happy. Bucky turned out to be... completely different from what I thought he was."

"You seemed pretty ticked off in there," Michael said, gesturing back to the board room.

"Yeah, well... he's not perfect," she chuckled, indeed still quite "ticked" at her husband. "But neither am I. My point is you don't have to worry. Everything is going shockingly well."

"... I hope it stays that way," Michael nodded. "But I won't hold you up any longer. Lunch later, right?"

"Right," she nodded.

"Good," he replied, glancing around them briefly, and it was then that Summer realized how generally uneasy he appeared. "Because I've got a few things that I wanted to talk to you about and they really can't wait."

"Oh," she paused. "Bad things?"

He shook his head, but she wasn't convinced by the weak gesture. "No, just can't talk about it here. But I'll see you at noon, okay?"

Forcing her frown into a smile, Summed nodded and replied, "See you then."

"See you," he replied, watching her disappear down the hallway. She let out a breath as she strolled to her office, brain churning with thoughts that would take her some time to process. At least, in the midst of everything, her dad was getting help and seemed to be better since the last time she'd spoken to him. She hoped he stuck with it, because despite it all, she would never wish anything but the best for him. If that made her a sucker, oh well.

Once she arrived at her office, she greeted her staff like usual and set about trying to clear her mind and move on with her day, getting to work and hoping that it would distract her from all of the thoughts swirling through her head of spies and danger and poor Scott. Not to mention how unimpressed she currently was with Bucky.

Then again, every couple had to eventually have their first fight. She supposed this counted as theirs. Her first fight with Scott had been over bath towels. Her first fight with Bucky had been over supposed spies and his duties as a mob boss versus her supposed emotionally-driven character judgements.

At least life in the Bratva was guaranteed to never, ever be dull.

* * *

Later on, in the thoroughly secured and meticulously cleaned board room, the crowd had dwindled and the door had been locked behind the last non-essential person who had left. Now the room's only occupants were Bucky, Lukas, Aemilia, Sam, Thor, and the newly arrived Natasha. Aemilia was setting up Lukas' laptop for an incoming call as Bucky glared absently at the screen and stewed mentally over how truly and horribly everything currently sucked.

The others could tell. Natasha was the first to point it out, taking the seat to his left and asking casually with a cup of coffee in hand, "You look less than thrilled with today's events." When Bucky said nothing and merely half-glared at her, she raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did someone piss in your cereal, too?"

"He and Summer had their first lover's quarrel this morning," Lukas informed her helpfully, standing with his arms crossed and multitasking between listening to Thor and Sam discuss security and eavesdropping on the other conversations happening around him.

"Oh, the first fight," Natasha nodded. "That's some particularly bad timing."

Bucky's frown deepening and risking slipping into Grumpy Cat territory, he muttered, "It wasn't a damn 'lover's quarrel'. I don't even know what that is."

"It's a quarrel between lovers," Lukas pointed out. "Was your Harvard education truly so abysmal that I must explain such elementary terms to you?"

"Today's not the day to get on my fucking nerves, Lukas," Bucky grumbled, wishing everyone would just leave him the hell alone for once. Of course, there was exactly zero chance of that happening.

"What was the fight about?" Natasha asked, asking Lukas rather than Bucky.

"Summer was quite displeased to learn the identity of his top suspect," Lukas replied. "Then he made an ass out of himself and insinuated she wouldn't jump so quickly to his defense if she had no prior romantic history with him."

Bucky shifted his glare to Lukas. "Were you listening the entire fucking time?"

"Darling," Lukas replied casually, "it should really come as no surprise by now that nothing escapes my notice."

Aemilia rolled her eyes. " _I_ overheard. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but at one point neither of you were staying very quiet."

Bucky sighed and looked away, going back to blankly staring at the computer screen. "Fantastic."

"For what it's worth," Natasha chimed in, "I'm also skeptical that Scott's the mole. And I definitely have no history to bias me in his favor."

"If it's him," Aemilia said, finishing prepping the laptop and sitting down at Bucky's other side, "my faith in humanity might possibly never recover."

"Consider yourself lucky that you still have any at all," Natasha smirked.

"But that's what makes a mole effective," Bucky pointed out. "It's always the one you least expect to betray you."

"Then based off of that criteria," Natasha pondered, "wouldn't that make Summer the top suspect?"

The whole room falling silent at those words, everyone eyed Natasha in surprise and, in Bucky's case, shock that quickly gave way to a warning glare as he replied, "The fuck are you talking about?"

"I don't think it's her," Natasha quickly clarified. "I never have. What I'm saying is that the one _you_ least expect is her. And that probably goes for most of us currently sitting here in this room. We know it's none of _us_. So if you look at the situation truly objectively... who made their way into the inner circle incredibly quickly and gained our trust in almost record time?"

"It's not her," Bucky replied before anyone else could get a word in. "It's impossible."

"There really is no logical reason why she would betray us," Aemilia agreed. "And she's still at the top of the Triad's wanted list for killing their golden child. Everything that's happened since the day she arrived would have had to have been an elaborate ruse that I'm not even sure the CIA could plausibly pull off."

"Scott does make infinitely more sense than Summer," Lukas agreed.

"See?" Natasha said knowingly. "And I happen to agree with each of you. But don't you think at this point we have to truly look at all of the possibilities and investigate regardless of personal feelings?"

"I'm not putting her under surveillance," Bucky replied, growing more visibly agitated the more Natasha pushed.

"You don't have to," Natasha replied calmly. "I can. I have the authority to do it."

Lukas and Aemilia, both rather taken aback by Natasha's assertion, immediately looked at Bucky for his reaction. To nobody's surprise, his expression shifted from merely angry to _dangerously_ furious as he stared at Natasha and replied in a tone that he usually reserved for his enemies, "You try that and I'll chain you up in the fucking basement at the manor until I can ship you back to fucking Moscow and make sure you stay there."

Lukas blinked and glanced at Natasha, who simply raised her eyebrow again with a crooked, almost amused smile. Aemilia looked rather shocked by Bucky's instant hostile reaction, and even Thor looked quite surprised. Sam wasn't, however, and he leaned over to Thor and murmured, "Nobody puts Marshmallow in a corner."

"Are we clear?" Bucky asked Natasha, expecting an answer.

She nodded, bringing her coffee cup to her lips. "Yes, Captain."

Dominance successfully re-established, Bucky took a breath and leaned back in his seat a bit, clearly stressed the hell out and suddenly wishing he had a bottle of whiskey handy. He ran a hand through his hair and then paused when a glass of dark amber liquid was slid in front of him by the ever-helpful and apparently mind-reading Lukas.

Bucky looked up at him and got a nod in reply. Then as he grabbed the glass and lifted it with the intent of drinking it all in one big gulp, the laptop lit up with an incoming call from Russia.

Bucky quickly knocked back the glass' entire contents without so much as a wince and, one click later, was greeted by the unhappy and dour face of his adoptive father. "Morning, sir."

Alexander Pierce eyed Bucky and his companions without a shred of pretense and replied, "You don't even want to know the conversation I just got done having with Strucker."

Bucky, maintaining his outward calm, answered, "I can imagine."

"I doubt that," Pierce said. "Any news?"

"The building as well as the manor have been thoroughly inspected and swept," Aemilia replied. "No other devices were found. Security footage is being reviewed as we speak."

"I'm gonna level with you guys because I like all of you," Pierce said. "None of the leadership sees a lot of competence being displayed here. I'm doing what I can on my end but I can only do so much when these breaches keep happening. It's damn near unprecedented."

"We know," Bucky replied, "and nobody's more pissed about that than I am."

"Well, we need to see less anger and more results," Pierce said. "I can only hold the others off for so long before they start demanding heads roll."

"We're going to find the mole," Lukas assured the former Captain. "It's only a matter of time."

"That's the problem. Strucker has a breathtaking lack of patience these days," Pierce replied. "And quite frankly, I'm ashamed to see these things happening under the leadership of a team that I handpicked to replace mine. You're all capable of much more than this."

"In our defense, sir," Aemilia said with the greatest of respect, "we've been handling everything as best as we can. I'm not sure what more we could do that we haven't already done."

"Really? Because there's obviously a hell of a lot more that you could all do considering your damn board room was bugged." Pierce then sighed and took off his glasses, briefly rubbing his eyes before adding, "Listen, it's pretty simple. Find the mole and restore order. Anything less and we're looking at a pretty substantial shakeup on the horizon that I can't stop. There is zero excuse for you guys not to be interrogating the hell out of _everybody_ at this point."

"We have," Bucky replied. "We've investigated and cleared -"

"I don't want to hear about who you've cleared," Pierce interrupted, "because obviously someone's clear who shouldn't be. And I know you haven't started drilling the inner circle yet, which is almost unforgivable considering how much that circle's grown in the last year. Honestly, Bucky, I've gotta wonder when _you_ of all people started going so soft."

Bucky swallowed and worked his jaw but said nothing. He could have tried to defend himself but there was never much to say once Pierce got on a roll like this, and Bucky wasn't sure he didn't deserve the scolding after all.

"You need to put the newcomers under the microscope," Pierce decreed. "Full surveillance, no stone unturned."

"Newcomers," Bucky repeated quietly, knowing that while Pierce was referring to a number of people, he was focused on Summer.

"Yes," Pierce confirmed. "And everyone associated with them. Is that going to be a problem?"

Bucky shook his head. "No, sir." It was a lie, but Bucky had never claimed to be a pillar of truth.

"Good. And these aren't suggestions, by the way. They're orders."

"Understood," Bucky replied, absolutely hating everything about the entire situation.

"In the meantime," Pierce added, "I'm gonna have to make good on my promise and send Viktor over. I told you one more breach and I'd have to send someone to oversee operations. I wasn't kidding."

Bucky wanted to curse and groan but he nodded instead, sucking it up even though it physically hurt a little to do so. Lukas' entire demeanor changed, however, at the very first mention of the name _Viktor_. His eyes darkened and narrowed and his lips thinned to a displeased line, and he looked away from the screen to avoid glaring directly at Pierce. Aemilia noticed and discreetly took his hand, wordlessly comforting him as his anger began to stew.

"When will he be arriving?" Natasha asked.

"Within the week," Pierce answered. "Hopefully it'll be a short visit because by the time his plane touches down you'll have found the mole and we can put all of this behind us. If not, plan on him sticking around for awhile."

Lukas opened his mouth to let out what would have been his disgruntled thoughts put to words, but when Aemilia squeezed his hand he paused and looked at her instead. She gave him a barely there shake of her head, and he exhaled and realized she was right. He kept his mouth shut, which was not something he would be able to do once Viktor was in their midst.

"We're doing everything we can," Bucky assured Pierce. "I plan on having this issue resolved before the week is out."

"And I sincerely hope you accomplish that, for all your sakes," Pierce replied. "I'll let you get back to work now. Keep me updated."

"We will," Bucky nodded before the connection was severed. He closed the laptop once the screen went blank and sighed, leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes. " _Fuck me_."

"... Someone please tell me I hallucinated the last five minutes and my uncle is _not_ being sent here," Lukas all but begged the entire room.

"Unfortunately, brother, that was all too real," Thor sighed. "This is not going to be pleasant."

"I don't think I've ever met this guy before," Sam said, confused at everyone's reactions to the news.

"Consider yourself lucky," Natasha replied. "You were around while Oren was still alive, right?"

Sam nodded. Lukas and Thor's father had still been quite active within the Bratva when Pierce had recruited him years earlier, one of the heavyhitters and a pillar of the organization.

"Imagine him," Natasha added, "but even less pleasant and even more overtly racist and sexist and every other - _ist_ you can imagine."

"Oh," Sam replied. "Sounds like a real ray of sunshine."

"Doesn't matter," Bucky decided, shrugging the news off. "He won't be here long. We're finding the mole and ending this shit."

"I certainly hope so," Lukas replied. "Because I am not beneath slipping a bit of cyanide into a champagne glass to expedite Viktor's flight home."

"Oh, calm down," Aemilia said, still holding his hand and rubbing her thumb across the back of his hand. "We'll handle hm, just as we handle everything that comes our way."

"I'm gonna head home and oversee the security review," Bucky decided, standing up from his seat and glancing at Lukas and Aemilia. "You guys got it covered here?"

Aemilia nodded. "Of course. Let us know if anything comes up."

"I will," Bucky nodded back before turning to leave. He was halfway to the door when Natasha calling after him made him pause and turn around.

"Hey," she said quietly, keeping her voice down to keep the conversation private. "I just wanted to make sure in case I wasn't clear earlier that I wasn't trying to accuse Summer of anything. I know she's innocent. I was only trying to make a point."

Bucky blinked tiredly a few times and shook his head. "... I know."

"Though I have to admit," she added, "you defended her even more fiercely than I expected. Particularly with the whole throwing me in a dungeon and shipping me back to Moscow thing." When Bucky opened his mouth to answer, she shushed him and chuckled, "I was impressed, actually. I'm not used to being so low on the totem pole when it comes to your loyalty."

"... Sorry," Bucky replied quietly, unsure of what else to say.

"Don't be. That's how it's supposed to be," she pointed out. "She's your wife. She's supposed to come first."

Bucky nodded. "I'm trying. Don't know what the hell I'm doing and now she's mad at me, but..."

"Just apologize later," Natasha advised. "In person, not on the phone or over text. She'll forgive you."

"I hope so," Bucky replied. "'Cause I'm an idiot. Sure it won't be the last time I fuck up."

"No it won't," she agreed. "But that's marriage. At least that's what I've heard. I wouldn't know." Then she gave him a smile and patted his shoulder. "Good luck."

"Thanks," he nodded.

She then turned and started heading back towards the others. "If you need me, I'll be in the dungeon beneath the manor."

Bucky rolled his eyes and snorted, turning and reaching for the door again. It was barely 2 in the afternoon and it had already been one hell of a fucking day, and now he needed to get home and get to work doubling down efforts of finding the mole and, at some point, smoothing things over with Summer as well. He was prepared for the former to take longer than he wanted, but his spat with Summer... _that_ he mentally swore to fix before the night was over.

* * *

Summer did _not_ meet her father for lunch, as the case turned out to be. She got so busy that she worked straight through her break and didn't even realize until it was nearly 4 PM and she was utterly starving, and that was when she noticed a few missed calls from Michael on her cell phone. She shot him an apologetic text and then grabbed a granola bar out of her desk, eating that in lieu of an actual meal and quickly forgetting about her guilt over her missed lunch date when he didn't immediately respond.

There were plenty of other matters taking up headspace that her attention naturally shifted to, like how pissed she still was about the Scott thing and how she was annoyed that she hadn't heard from Bucky since their spat. Then again, she was sure that he was busy and that she wasn't exactly his top priority at the moment, or at least her miffed feelings weren't. _That_ she could understand. His ridiculous jealousy and how easily he'd brushed off her thoughts and opinions, not so much.

She finished her day at the office without hearing so much as a peep from him, heading home with Sam in tow as usual and deciding that she wasn't going to be the one to reach out to Bucky first. If he wanted to apologize for being a jerk then he knew her number and where to find her, she reasoned. She'd have no problem apologizing first if she had anything to apologize for, but she was quite sure that she didn't.

Neither Bucky or Lukas showed up for dinner back at home. Aemilia did, however, and filled Summer and Lizzie both in on the day's developments and told them of their impending visitor, whom exactly nobody was thrilled to hear about. Frieda had been particularly distressed to hear the news earlier that day, as her former brother in law was one of her least favorite people in all the earth. Scott sat at the table as cheerful as ever, oblivious to his current role as top mole suspect, and even though it was nearly impossible and damn near caused her actual physical pain to do so, Summer kept her mouth shut and controlled her inner urge to tell him herself.

After the day that the family had experienced as a whole, all of the manor's ladies minus Aemilia shared a few extra drinks over dinner. Summer needed the extra edge taken off, but it was a double edged sword. Alcohol made her feel exceptionally warm and fuzzy, and when she felt exceptionally warm and fuzzy... she inevitably desperately craved the company of a particular man whom she was still trying her best to still be angry at.

But she persevered, and when it came time to get herself ready for bed at the end of the night, she _still_ had not heard from nor seen Bucky. She wasn't quite sure what to do - just go to bed in her own room for the first time since she and Bucky had gotten serious, or go to bed in his room without him?

It shouldn't have been such a difficult decision, but it perplexed her enough to the point of texting Aemilia to ask her opinion. Her advice was simple and convincing - _Go ahead and go to his room. That way when he comes to bed, if he's ready to apologize, he can_.

Fair enough, she decided. Moments later she was in his empty bedroom and snuggled comfortably beneath his covers, still a little warm from the wine she'd drank earlier and tired as hell but unable to fall asleep. She laid there for what felt like ages, missing her husband and her fingers itching to grab her phone and just break the silence herself before she went crazy, but she controlled herself. For awhile, anyway.

Once half an hour had past, she finally caved and grabbed her phone from the table next to the bed, then settled back down under the covers. She opened her texts with Bucky and stared blankly at the screen, unsure of what to say. After far too long spent overthinking the issue, she finally settled on _are you coming to bed_?

Sending the message was an entirely more difficult struggle. Her thumb was hovering over the button when she heard the rattle of the doorknob across the room, which was when she jolted with mild panic and tossed the phone down and quickly turned on her side to pretend she was asleep. _Why_ she did that, she had no earthly idea.

She laid there and stared at the wall, inexplicably nervous as she listened to Bucky move quietly throughout the room. She could decipher his actions without sneaking a peek, listening as he threw off his shoes and then his clothes before slipping into the bathroom for a few moments. When he returned, she heard him approach the bed almost silently, plug in his phone to charge, and pull back his corner of the blanket before he climbed into bed next to her.

And then... nothing. Summer laid there, eyes still wide open, waiting for him to do something or say something, but he laid there motionless next to her instead. Time seemed to drag on agonizingly slowly, and Summer didn't know what to do. She was pretty sure that they were both being ridiculous, but she wasn't ready to be the one to end the stalemate either.

Luckily, she didn't have to be. Feeling the bed shift behind her and a little bit shocked at how her heart skipped a beat as a result - _God, what a sucker she was_ \- her skin tingled when she felt his hand cautiously brush her side just before he murmured quietly, "You asleep?"

Briefly closing her eyes, she shook her head and shifted to her back. She looked up at him, his hand now on her belly over her shirt, and she replied, "Nope. Couldn't sleep."

He nodded, looking her over silently for a moment or two. She put her hand over his and waited patiently while he gathered his words, and once he did he let out a soft breath and looked her in the eyes before telling her sincerely, "I'm an ass. I'm sorry."

If she was being honest, her anger had already waned rather significantly, but as soon as those words left his mouth it dissipated entirely. "You're not an ass," she told him with a small smile. "And I forgive you."

Nodding with relief, he sighed and said, "I just... today has been _hell_ and I know that's not an excuse, but... I'm..." He paused. "I'm still figuring out how all this works."

She nodded, knowing that by _all this_ he meant their relationship. "I know. And you should also know that you have absolutely nothing and _nobody_ to be jealous of. I loved Scott, yeah, and I always will but now it's like an older brother kind of thing. He's a lamp now."

Bucky furrowed his brows. "A lamp?"

"Yes. Which means I'm about as sexually attracted to him as I am to a lamp," Summer chuckled, and Bucky cracked a smile once he got it. "And _come on_... I know you and Natasha spend hours together every week working and you're still so close and I could drive myself crazy thinking about that and being jealous but I don't. Mostly."

"You shouldn't," Bucky assured her. "Trust me."

"I do," she replied. "And you need to trust me, too."

He took a breath and let it out, running the hand his head was leaned on through his hair. "I do trust you. I don't even think he'd ever try anything with you, honestly, I just... right now the signs really are pointing to him being the mole. And when you defended him it just... I'm not proud of how I reacted. It was stupid and I know you didn't deserve it."

"No I didn't," she agreed. "But it's over now. And I'm sure this won't be the last time we have an argument or make each other mad. I think that's one of the defining traits of marriage."

Bucky smiled a little again. "Yeah. Aemilia said something like that earlier. She's been texting me a lot today. Trying to pull my head out of my ass."

Summer grinned and said, "Yeah, I talked to her a lot too. It's funny, I can't really imagine her and Lukas arguing much but she said it happens."

"I don't wanna fight," Bucky shook his head, reaching up to brush aside a stray lock of hair near her eyes. "I spend enough of my life fighting and I don't wanna waste my time with you arguing over stupid shit. If I get jealous like an idiot it's my problem, not yours."

"Well... what's mine is yours and all that," Summer shrugged. "Even if it's a _you_ problem it's still our problem. Just... in the future, maybe we can talk about it calmly instead of you biting my head off in the middle of the board room."

"Deal," he agreed happily before leaning down and, to her relief, kissing her lips softly and sweetly. Her hand slid into his hair after it fell on to her cheek, and she pushed it behind his ear as they kissed and formally made up. Relieved that all of _that_ was over and with no lasting damage, Summer's anxiety level dropped as much as it could while the mole situation was still in play. She hadn't forgotten that apparently she was a suspect in the eyes of some, but she didn't want to think about it or talk about it or give any thought to it anymore that night. Instead, she wanted to crawl into Bucky's arms and spend the rest of the night there, and that was exactly what she planned on doing.

Enough kisses to send butterflies racing all thoughout her belly later, Summer got her wish and found herself cradled in Bucky's arms with her head pillowed on his chest, eyes growing heavy and closing now that she was back in her safe place. His bed and his room and the very manor himself wasn't the same without him, and while she didn't want to grow dependent on _anyone_... having such an incredible sense of comfort and safety with him was something that she wouldn't dare fight or doubt. She needed it, and she needed him.

Eyes still closed, a thought floated to the surface of Summer's mind and she asked quietly, "How did everything go today?"

Bucky didn't answer immediately, opening his eyes and clenching his jaw as he hesitated to answer. Ultimately deciding that he was entirely unwilling to ruin the restored peace between them by telling her that his superiors were forcing him to put her under full surveillance while she was half asleep, he replied, "We can talk about it in the morning. It can wait."

"Okay," she said sleepily, accepting that answer without question and shifting a little, getting even more comfortable and winding her leg within both of his beneath the covers.

She was nearly asleep and so was he when her phone started ringing jarringly loudly. Her eyes popped open and she groaned as Bucky made a face and reached out to grab the damn thing for her. "Who is it?" she asked as Bucky squinted at the terribly bright screen.

"Your dad," he replied, handing her the phone.

"My dad?" she asked, brows knitting as she quickly pulled away from him and sat up. It was almost 11:30 at night - what in the world was he calling her for? She hit the answer button and pressed the phone to her ear, concern clear in her tone as she said, "Hello?"

"Summer?"

She blinked. It barely sounded like her father. "Dad?" Silence filled the other line for a moment until Summer asked, "Dad, are you okay?"

"I need to talk to you," he finally replied, sounding oddly panicked and out of breath. "I - not on the phone though, it's not safe."

"... Okay," she replied, confused and more than a little freaked out at that point. "Like in the morning sometime?"

"No, right now," he replied. "Can you come to my apartment?"

Eyes widening at how serious this apparently was, Summer faltered for a moment and glanced at Bucky, who looked as confused as she was. "Dad, what's going on?"

"I'll tell you everything once you get here, I promise," Michael replied earnestly, tone pleading and a little pathetic. "Just please hurry."

Then the line went dead, and Summer lowered her phone and stared at it before turning back to Bucky and muttering, "I guess I've gotta go."

As she got up from bed and quickly began setting about getting dressed, Bucky sat up and asked, "The hell's going on?"

"My dad's freaking out about something," she said, quickly locating her clothes from earlier that day and changing as fast as she could. "Said he needs to tell me something right now that can't wait but he wouldn't tell me on the phone. Like someone could be listening or something. So I'm going to his place to see what's going on."

Bucky frowned. "I'm coming with you."

"No, stay here and try to sleep," Summer insisted. "For all I know this could be nothing, or he could be drunk or... I don't even know."

Hesitantly, Bucky backed down but then told her, "Take Sam and a few other guys with you. I don't like this."

"Well, it's freaking me out too," Summer said, grabbing her shoes and heading towards his side of the bed. "But he's my dad and even though he kind of... well, he doesn't _kind of_ suck, he majorly sucks - he's not gonna have an ambush of bad guys there waiting for me."

She leaned down to kiss him goodbye, but Bucky paused and said, "I'm sending a full security team with you. For all I know someone could have been there with a gun to his head forcing him to make that call."

Summer highly doubted that, but... "Fine," she agreed, laying a quick kiss on his lips and then turning to leave. "I'm sure I'll be back soon."

Bucky watched her go, grabbing his phone to make the call to Thor to arrange the team to tail her car. Summer meanwhile made a beeline to Sam's room, unsure if the pit in her stomach was anxiety or instinct. She felt like she was going to be sick and her hands were shaking, but it was hard to tell if those were just natural symptoms of worry following such a weird call or a genuine gut feeling that something truly was terribly wrong.

She supposed she would find out soon. Within five minutes she was on the road and headed into the city, followed by a small army of men armed to the teeth in case she needed protection. What she didn't know was that Bucky was right behind them, on his motorcycle and following from a distance, not willing to take the slightest chance with her safety and not telling her that he was following to avoid freaking her out even more than she already was.

* * *

Standing outside of her father's apartment door with Sam next to her and a few other guys posted down the hallway, Summer took a breath and knocked on the door. Then she waited for a moment, so nervous following the too-long car ride there that now she was a little lightheaded, but she ignored how crappy she felt as she knocked again when there was no answer.

She glanced at Sam and frowned, pulling her phone out and calling Michael. She could hear his phone ring on the other side of the door, but there was no answer and the call went to voicemail. What the hell?

"Does he do this kind of thing often?" Sam asked, and Summer immediately shook her head.

"No. I mean, he's had drinking problems before and a pill problem when I was in college, so erratic behavior, yeah, but... this is different," she replied. She then knocked on the door again and rang the bell a few times for good measure, though she couldn't imagine that he hadn't heard her previous knocks and the loud ring of his phone.

Sam, whose instincts had been screaming that something was very wrong from the minute Summer had knocked on his door and asked for him to accompany her to the city, frowned and motioned to his men before telling Summer, "Step back. I'm gonna kick the door in and then I want you to let us clear the place first before you go in."

"But-"

"I'm not taking no for an answer," Sam shook his head, drawing his weapon. "Better safe than sorry and you know it."

Summer frowned but nodded and relented, stepping back and then watching Sam knock the door open and off of one of its hinges with just one well-placed kick. He was followed in by two other guys with their guns out as well, and Summer slipped in right after them. She was still highly doubtful that there were any would-be assassins lurking in there, and at that point she was just worried about her dad.

Most likely though, she thought as she walked in and peered around the corner, he was passed out drunk and he wouldn't even remember calling her the next day, and all of this would be for nothing.

His apartment was indeed empty, though a bit messier than she would have expected. She spotted his phone sitting on his kitchen table next to his keys, and the cushions on his living room couch were overturned along with an armchair. She furrowed her brows and wondered what had happened there, then caught Sam's eye and immediately got scolded for being in there in the first place.

"We haven't cleared the apartment yet," Sam said, exasperated. "You should go back out to the hallway until we call you back in."

"There's nobody here," Summer pointed out with a shrug, continuing on her way despite his instructions. Sam gave her a look but didn't try to stop her, instead heading into the hallway to clear the rest of the place while a Summer followed.

The first door on the right was one to a spare bedroom, and it was the first one they checked. Summer kept walking, however, and made her way to her dad's bedroom. She knocked on the door softly, then paused when the door opened as a result. The light was on inside, so she slowly pushed open the door and called out cautiously, "Dad?"

Then she stepped inside of the room, and the earth itself fell out from beneath her feet.

In the very center of the room, hanging from a noose made out of rope and tied to the ceiling was her father, motionless and blue and _gone_. She stared at the gruesome sight with her mouth hanging open and the cold sickening needles of shock penetrating every nerve ending in her body, and when she started screaming, she didn't even hear herself or realize that she was making any noise at all. She only knew once there were arms around her - Sam's - and a flurry of movement around her from the other men.

But all she could see was her dad. Her ridiculous, untrustworthy, perpetually distant father, hanging dead in his own home, neck broken and limp body swaying slightly, eyes open still and fixed on nothingness.

Her knees buckled and this time she heard the sound that ripped out of her throat, something between a sob and another scream, and Sam caught her before she could hit the floor. He was saying something to her but the words didn't make any sense, and she continued to not comprehend a thing until he physically dragged her out of the bedroom while the other men cut Michael down.

In the hallway, Sam let her sink to the floor and knelt in front of her, still holding her as if she were a child. In those horrible moments, she might as well have been. "Summer," he continued to chant to no avail as she nearly hyperventilated, " _Summer_ , come on. Breathe, stay with me."

"He's dead," she gasped out, feeling like her throat was closing and lungs collapsing. "He's dead, he hung himself."

"I'm sorry," Sam said, eyes full of secondhand horror on her behalf though he was doing his best to hold it together and be strong for her, since that was what she needed. "You never should have had to see that. It's my fault."

"Why would he call me over here if he was gonna kill himself?" she asked, tears falling down her cheeks and bewilderment in her sad, shocked eyes. "Why... why would he want me to see that?"

Sam shook his head and then drew her into a hug, not knowing what else to do. "I don't know. I'm so sorry."

She clung to him and buried her face into his shoulder, trying so hard to process any of it but coming up completely short because the shock was still too strong. She closed her eyes and immediately saw Michael hanging there again, the horrible look on his blue face and the chilling vacancy in his eyes, and all she could do was hold on to Sam tighter and wonder how in the world he could have done this. It didn't make any sense.

She had just seen him earlier that day, and he had seemed better than he had in _months_. Uneasy and a little jumpy, but that wasn't unusual for him whenever he was in Bratva territory, and he was in therapy now, too. That was _huge_ progress for him. Then tacking on the missed lunch where he had wanted to tell her something apparently important and then the terrifying phone call a mere half an hour earlier... none of it added up.

At the very least, none of it added up to _suicide_.

Pulling away and looking up at Sam with her tear soaked cheeks and puffy, grief-stricken blue eyes, Summer warbled through a voice trembling with emotion, "I don't think he killed himself. Someone did this to him."

Sam nodded but looked at her sadly and said, "Summer..."

She shook her head, 100% sure in her daze that she was right. "Someone killed him. He called me because he had something big to tell me and they killed him first. He wouldn't do this to me. He wouldn't call me over here just so I could... just so I could find him _like that_."

Sam nodded rather than try to argue, pulling her back into another hug. She fell silent but her brain continued working at a feverish, shock-fueled pace, and with every moment that passed and every new year that she shed, she became more and more convinced that she was right and that her father's death was no suicide. It was murder, and while she didn't have proof, she had every inch of her gut and her heart and very soul screaming at her and that, at least in those moments, was better than proof.

But regardless, the truth remained the same. Her father was dead - her last remaining close blood relative was dead - and a piece of her was gone now too. Another chunk of her innocence hacked off and thrown into the fire, another horrifically vivid memory to fuel already-present PTSD and anxiety, and another trauma to live with for the rest of her life.

Nothing would ever be the same after this, and she knew it. _She_ wouldn't be the same. But all of that had to take a backseat for the time being, because for now, she told herself as Sam comforted her, she had to focus on finding out the truth of what happened and proving that her father had not committed suicide.

If only she had just met him for that damn lunch, she thought, sparking a brand new wave of tears. Maybe he would have told her what he knew then, and none of this would have happened. Maybe it _was_ ultimately her fault. Maybe she had failed him, just as he had failed her so many times over the course of her life.

Once she started down that road of self blame, she knew there was really no coming back from it. But she did anyway, because she didn't know what else to do and nothing made sense and all that she knew was that things were far worse than she had ever realized.

Now that her dad was gone, dead in the blink of an eye... who might be next?


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: I LIIIIIIIIIVE! It's been an ungodly long time, guys, and I could never apologize enough for taking so long but after no small amount of struggle and a LOT of help from midnightwings96... AT LAST, a new chapter has arrived. (Take that, "upset reader"! Lol)**

 **So quick update: the new babe is now 4 months old and is the light of my life along with her big sister, and we are all happy and healthy :) Labor and delivery threw me a pretty traumatic curveball late last September but everything turned out okay in the end thank God, and we both recovered well without further complication. She's my little miracle and growing up so fast it's giving me whiplash, and I'm officially to that stage of "can't remember life before" her :) We also picked up and moved out of state when she was only 6 weeks old, so as you all can imagine, I've had a lot going on and not a huge amount of time or opportunity to write. Once we got settled into our new place and got a good routine down that changed, but getting back into the groove of this story was tough and nothing short of painful. I wrote a few oneshots to just get back writing again, and it helped get me back in the right frame of mind to finally continue this story. So I thank you guys from the bottom of my heart for your patience and loyalty. I know it was probably extremely frustrating to be waiting so long for an update here but then seeing me post random unrelated oneshots (and a Stucky part 2 lol) but I had a method to my madness and it's worked thus far. I've gotten some lovely messages from some of you in the last week or two that I haven't answered yet but I will! It's only taking me so long because I was trying to get this done, and I figured nobody would object to that lol**

 **I cannot possibly thank midnightwings96 enough for her help with this, from talking through the chapter with me multiple times to editing the giant mess it was once I finally got it out and polishing it into something actually readable and hopefully worth the wait. I am indebted to her as always, but that's nothing new lol. Also my thanks to Morningglory2 for being so encouraging and quite possibly the sweetest human being alive and who listened patiently as I scream-typed multiple times about how harrrrrrd and painful this was to write lol. Idk how either of these ladies haven't gotten sick of me and my whining yet but FINGERS CROSSED THAT THE TREND CONTINUES :D**

 **I hope you guys like this chapter after waiting so horrifically long for it, and at least I can say that it is a pretty major one so at least I'm not trudging back to you all with a crappy filler chapter where nothing happens lol. Let me know what you guys think, I love you all so very very much and thank you so so so SO MUCH for sticking with me, I really can't thank you all enough. I love you and will do my very very best to not fall off the face of the earth again lol :D**

Bucky had been sitting outside of the apartment complex on his motorcycle, waiting for a signal from Sam that all was well when his phone lit up with a call from one of the other men inside. While he had imagined more than one hellish scenario for how Summer's odd late night meeting with her father might end, what he heard on that brief phone call was the very last thing that he would have suspected.

He tore off his bike and into the building without a word, bypassing the elevator for the stairs because his feet could take him to Summer far faster. Once he made it to the room and slipped inside, the door already opened, he walked in to the sound of soft crying and quiet male voices conversing lowly. He passed the bedroom that Michael had been found in and glanced inside - his men had cut Michael down and were performing useless CPR on him until paramedics arrived - then quickly kept moving to make it to Summer, whom Sam had pulled into the spare bedroom to get her away from it all.

He walked into the bedroom to find her sitting on the edge of the bed, eyes and faced flushed red and damp with tears as Sam still held her close in an attempt to provide any comfort that he could. She was trembling from the shock and adrenaline and didn't look up at Bucky until he was right in front of her, kneeling before the bed to put them at the same level.

"Hey," he said quietly as she blinked in surprise at his presence, his hand going to her leg and laying there softly.

"Wh- why - how did you get here so fast?" she asked in a pathetic tone, and the sound of it and the pain and confusion in her eyes made his heart ache.

"I followed you," he replied softly. "Knew something wasn't right."

At that, her expression broke and fell into a scrunched and distressed picture of misery. "They killed him," she told Bucky as a fresh new wave of tears spilled down her cheeks. "I don't know who, but somebody did because he had something to tell me and they didn't want him to. He's been trying to talk to me for days and we were supposed to have lunch today because he had something important to tell me but I got distracted with work and I blew him off and I think this is my fault because -"

"Hey," Bucky interrupted gently, taking her hand in his, "none of this is your fault, I promise. Just try to breathe, okay?"

She shook her head and warbled, "No, I can't. I can't. It's my fault."

Wincing at the sound of those words, Bucky looked at Sam and motioned for him to go. Sam nodded, giving Summer one more little squeeze before carefully pulling his arms free and getting up from the bed. He left the room to send the other men home and deal with the authorities when they came, holding down the fort while Bucky focused on Summer and Summer alone.

He sat where Sam had been just a moment before and pulled Summer close, kissing the crown of her head and telling her quietly but fiercely, "You can't blame yourself for this. Whether he did this to himself or someone staged it -"

"He didn't do it," Summer insisted, looking up at him and shaking her head like a stubborn child. "He'd never kill himself. And even if he did, he never ever would have called me over so I could find him. Please, you _have_ to believe me. I'm not just saying that. I _know_ him. This wasn't him."

It would have been easy to write off her words as the understandable but illogical ramblings of a grief-stricken daughter who'd had all of ten minutes to process the shock of finding her father hanging dead in his own bedroom. Most would have done just that, but Bucky knew something about instinct and knew what it was like to be in a horrible, unthinkable situation and just _know_ beyond a single doubt something that logic would dictate otherwise to. So he simply nodded and chose to believe her.

"Listen," he said gently, "when the cops get here they're gonna wanna talk to you. You need to tell them what happened and what you found, what you saw, but that's it. We need to handle this ourselves. Do you understand?"

"But -"

"The cops aren't on our payroll, Summer," Bucky murmured. "Not enough to matter, anyway. This isn't SHIELD. It's NYPD and they need to think that this was just another suicide. You have to trust me that I'm going to handle this and I'm gonna find out who killed your father."

Summer stared at him long enough to make him wonder if she had heard anything at all that he'd said, but then she nodded and closed her eyes just as another quiet sob escaped her throat. He pulled her back in and she clung to him tight, and Bucky took a breath and wondered just what the hell exactly had happened.

The truth was, he didn't know Michael McAdams in any meaningful way despite being married to his daughter. He'd only spoken to the man a handful of times, mostly while he had been engineering the absorption of Michael's company, so he had to trust Summer's judgment when she said that suicide was not something he would have ever turned to. He was well aware that sometimes people committed suicide and it was a huge shock to everyone who knew them, but even Bucky had to admit that it would take a particularly cruel man to off himself just in time for his only daughter to find him after the deed was done. And Michael had always struck him as merely irresponsible and rather stupid, not a psychopath who would purposefully cause irreparable harm to his daughter.

Sirens blaring in the distance growing closer, Summer suddenly realized something as she cried a puddle into Bucky's shoulder. "Oh God," she groaned miserably. "I have to tell my mom."

Bucky shook his head and held her a little tighter. "Someone else can do that. Me or Sam or... just let us handle it."

She shook her head. "It should be me. It... I have to."

He stifled a sigh but nodded anyway. "Okay." Then he paused and felt his heart lurch a little bit for her, his own father's death a distant memory but still a wound that had never truly healed. He had only been a boy back then but it didn't matter - the shock and the pain of losing one's father was the same regardless of age and, often, even regardless of circumstance as well.

"I'm so sorry," he murmured to her as she continued to lay her head on his shoulder, her shoulders trembling with each shaky breath she took.

"... It doesn't seem real," she replied quietly, giving a little shake of her head. "It feels like a nightmare I can't wake up from."

He nodded, knowing that feeling all too well. He'd endured it more than once. "It'll pass. You're numb right now, but... you won't always be."

Summer didn't reply, sniffling instead and closing her eyes as another tear slipped down her wet cheek. They remained there in silence for a little while, just holding on to one another as Summer's shocked mind raced to make sense of it all and Bucky began to wonder about the timing of all of this.

Perhaps one of the reasons why it was easy to trust Summer's instincts was the fact that Bucky's own were seeing red flags everywhere. Even if she had been convinced that it really was a suicide, he began to suspect that he would not have accepted such an overly simple explanation so easily.

But the time for investigation would come later. For then, Bucky focused on performing a task that he was not particularly adept at, which was being a source of comfort for someone that he loved deeply. He'd never been very good at such a thing - or at least he was fairly sure that he wasn't - but he was all Summer had at the moment and even if he didn't know what to say and barely knew what to do, he would at least be there for her to lean on and he wasn't planning on going anywhere.

But God help him if the terrible, foreboding feeling he'd been dealing with for some time now hadn't doubled in light of Michael's death. And if there was one thing he trusted more than almost anything... it was his gut.

* * *

Still in shock and barely able to process any of what was happening around her, Summer put on her bravest face that she could muster up once the police arrived and went through the agonizing process of giving her statement and reliving the last hour of her life. She recounted the story in a monotone daze, draped in a blanket that she didn't remember being placed on her shoulders in the first place, and through it all Bucky stayed with her and didn't leave her side. For whatever reason, that only made her want to cry even more than she already was.

The cop who took her statement was kind and gentle with his questioning, and she was thankful for that. But once she was finished, another cop came out from the bedroom Michael had been found in and told him something quietly that Summer couldn't quite pick up. Then he nodded and the other man walked away, and he turned back to Summer and asked her a few more questions.

She had been far too distraught herself to notice when she had been in that bedroom but apparently the nightstand and dresser had been littered with drug paraphernalia - used needles and empty prescription bottles, among other things. It took Summer a few seconds to process that information and once she did, she went from sad and slightly numb to pissed the hell off in record time.

"Heroin?!" she repeated incredulously, staring wide-eyed at the officer. " _Heroin_. Are you kidding me? My dad wasn't on heroin. He wasn't a drug addict. He hurt his leg a long time ago and took too many pills but he didn't do that for long and... this just doesn't make sense! He was a gambler, not... you know what? This is ridiculous and I don't believe it, _they_ must have -"

Bucky gently took her hand, and it was enough to halt her words and remind her to keep her mouth shut about her murder theory. She clamped her mouth shut and frowned, and the cop sighed sympathetically and said, "You know, I see this more than you can even imagine. People hide addictions all the time and their loved ones don't find out or even suspect it until it's too late. Sometimes you see the red flags, sometimes you don't."

Summer nodded, not believing a word of it but following Bucky's instruction to just go with it. She clutched his hand in hers and tried to keep her anger under the surface, but it wasn't easy. Someone had murdered her father and staged it to look like not only a suicide but an overdose, something no cop in the city would bother to question. All it did was further cement her belief that this was definitely _absolutely_ 100% not a suicide.

As Summer dealt with the authorities, Michael was pronounced dead at the scene. His injuries were too severe to warrant even the usual protocol of transferring to the ER and being given a barrage of last-ditch treatments, and Summer was given the option of seeing him one more time before he was taken to the medical examiner's office. She declined, knowing that she'd have to see him again for the funeral - ugh, _the funeral_ \- and she truthfully couldn't handle seeing him again that night.

She still had to go home and tell Lizzie the news. It was now 2 AM and she felt sick, exhausted but not tired, feeling like she's been stuck at that apartment for an entire year as she held on to Bucky and he drove them home on his bike. Sam followed from behind and Summer tried to keep her eyes closed, but every time she shut them she saw her dad's lifeless face all over again.

It felt like ages before they finally arrived back at the manor. Bucky helped her off the bike and held her hand as she stood on unsteady feet and hesitated before taking her first step.

He gave her hand a squeeze, and she looked up to find a sweet, comforting look on his face. That touch kept her grounded, as much as she could be in that moment, and she was grateful that he wasn't full of empty, hollow words meant to make her feel better. His quiet support was everything she needed to put one foot in front of the other and walk back into her home, where she would have to find Lizzie and tell her the news no matter how hard it was.

Sam was just a step behind them, catching up quickly as Bucky opened the door for Summer. She walked inside and was barely through the doorway when she saw Lizzie standing there pacing with her phone in hand, gasping with relief the minute she saw Summer and running to her in a huge hug that almost knocked her off of her feet.

" _Oh Summer_ ," Lizzie half-sobbed, crushing Summer to her chest, "I'm so sorry, baby."

Summer blinked in confusion a few times, looking up and noticing Tony also there in the foyer, watching with sympathy and concern etched on his features. "... You... you know?"

Lizzie pulled away and nodded, cupping Summer's face with tears in her red-rimmed eyes. "I was still up and Tony's phone started blowing up. Ran into Aemilia in the hallway and... put it together."

Summer's eyes welled up with fresh tears, proving wrong her belief that she was all cried out. "He didn't do it. You know he'd never do it, he'd never -"

Lizzie nodded, fully in agreement. "Of course he didn't."

Summer's face crumpled. "He looked so... just... I can't get it out of my head and -"

Lizzie shushed her and brought Summer back into her arms, doing what parents do and putting her own grief and complicated feelings on the backburner so that she could comfort her daughter. While Summer hung on to the only parent she had left, Lukas and Aemilia walked into the foyer from the living area and made eye contact with Bucky before they both looked at Summer and stayed silent, both of them visibly pained to see their friend in such a terrible, brutal situation. But none of them could change what had happened or make the reality of the situation any less horrific.

They could, however, find the bastard who had caused all of this to happen and make them pay. And after sharing a meaningfully furious look with the others, Bucky turned to Sam and said, "Everyone in this building. Meeting down here right fucking now."

Summer looked up from Lizzie's shoulder, the murderous tone in his voice stealing her attention. It was then that she noticed Lukas and Aemilia's presence, and after Lizzie let her go, staying by her side, Aemilia quickly walked to Summer and enveloped her in a hug of her own while Sam left to round up the manor's residents.

"I'm so sorry," Aemilia said softly, squeezing Summer as tightly as she could with her big belly in the way. "I can't imagine what you've been through tonight. It's unthinkable."

Summer nodded and murmured a quiet word of thanks, grateful for the comforting words and touches of the people who cared about her most though it seemed only to wreak even more havoc on her overwhelmed emotions. Aemilia pulled away but kept an arm around her, a sweet and protective gesture that Summer clung to as she looked to her husband and waited for him to decide what was next.

She couldn't have been more grateful than she was in that moment to have a husband like him, whom she could trust to lead and take care of her as well as the entire horrible situation, while she simply tried to keep a grip on herself as best as she could.

Bucky's decision was clear and had been made from the moment he found Summer crying and traumatized downtown. "This is over," he told Summer and everyone else present. "We're gonna find that fucking mole, one way or the other, tonight. I don't care what it takes. And once we figure it out," he looked at Lukas, "you're gonna have to stop me from emptying my gun into their skull."

Lukas raised an eyebrow and glanced at Summer before replying, "I'm not feeling particularly forgiving at the moment, either."

"Good," Bucky muttered, heading out of the foyer and the others following behind him. "Let's go."

* * *

The manor's residents assembled quickly, gathering within the main living room one by one until every seat and some of the floor was occupied. Aemilia got Summer settled into the most comfortable couch with a cup of tea that she held more than she drank, but the heat of the mug in her hands was a small comfort in itself. Aemilia sat on one side of her and Lizzie on the other, and Bucky stood at the center of the room watching all the members of his extended _family_ report for questioning. Bucky's chilling glare could cut through the most steadfast of souls and quickly set the tense and unforgiving tone in the room and all of its tenants.

It was a long list, and some were half asleep. A few didn't know what had happened, like Scott who walked in and looked almost instantly sick with worry the minute he saw the state that Summer was in, and others - like Natasha and Thor - had been aware for hours and looked as fed up as Bucky did.

Frieda offered her sincere condolences to Summer when she walked in, offering to supply her with absolutely anything she needed in the coming days before taking a seat next to her oldest son. Pietro walked in soon after, barely awake and very confused as to what the hell had happened, but before he could ask anyone Frieda motioned him over by her. Summer was glad, as the last thing she wanted to deal with was providing an explanation of why she looked like hell or even fielding anymore expressions of sympathy.

Once everyone was gathered and present, the quiet **,** nervous chatter turned to silence just before Bucky uttered his first words to the group.

"Most of you know what happened tonight," he said, hard gaze scanning the room. "For those of you that don't... the details don't particularly matter." His eyes narrowed **.** "What matters is I'm not letting a single one of you leave this room until I know who the mole is. And I'm pretty fucking convinced they're in this room."

Summer looked around the room, unable to imagine anyone within it being a double agent. But then again, that was kind of the entire point of a double agent.

"I don't care what I have to do to get to the truth," Bucky continued **,** his voice growing increasingly clipped and threatening. "There's nothing I won't do to protect my family. Most of you were here the night I sent Brock Rumlow back to Russia with half his dick cut off, so you can imagine what's gonna happen to the person responsible for almost getting the people I love most killed, and killing my wife's father."

Scott's eyes immediately flew to Summer, dreaded realization dawning on his face. She gave him a weary look and then turned her eyes back to Bucky, unable to stand another expression of sympathy even from him.

"May I say something?" Frieda asked, ever respectful of her Captain despite having been there longer than he'd been alive. Bucky, equally respectful, nodded to her and she said, "As suspicious as these circumstances are, I can't help but wonder if perhaps Michael himself was the mole and did indeed commit suicide, out of guilt."

Summer immediately shook her head, not thinking twice before speaking up. "No. No, he wouldn't do that. The mole thing or suicide. He's not..." She paused and swallowed before correcting herself. "He _wasn't_ like that."

"Please don't take what I'm saying the wrong way, Summer," Frieda said gently. "I know your grief is fresh and I cannot imagine what you're feeling right now. I'm only trying to make sure we consider all the possibilities before we start throwing wild accusations around."

Summer wasn't offended by Frieda's theory but she still rejected it without question. "I understand. But he didn't do it."

Natasha, calm and level headed as ever, gave a small shrug from her place standing next to Bucky. "I don't think we can outright dismiss the idea. It makes sense. And this is a guy who sold his daughter to the mob to clear his debts. Not exactly the standard bearer of loyalty or morality."

That got under Summer's skin, just a little bit. She made eye contact with Natasha briefly before looking at Bucky, who only held her gaze a few seconds before declaring, "No. It wasn't him."

"Sure you're not letting your judgment get a little clouded?" Natasha asked him lowly earning a mostly blank but slightly annoyed glance from him.

"With all due respect," Lizzie piped up, "you guys barely knew him. Certainly not the way Summer and I did."

"And we barely know either of you," Natasha pointed out, tossing out a thinly veiled accusation so casually that it was stunning.

Summer stared at Natasha, her words barely making sense until Scott of all people all but sputtered, "Wait a minute... _what_?"

Lukas sighed, leaning back in the armchair he occupied and wearily murmuring, "And the witch hunt begins."

"It's simple math," Natasha stated, crossing her arms. "Objectively speaking, the people in this room least likely to be suspected by any decent person and are thus _most_ suspicious are the grieving daughter and widow. Well, ex-widow."

"Natasha," Aemilia said with incredulity, "you cannot possibly think _Summer_ -"

"Summer, no, honestly," Natasha agreed. Her green eyes flashed to the woman sitting next to her. "It's Lizzie I'm not convinced on."

Lizzie's eyes widened almost comically in shock and offense. " _Seriously_?"

"Yeah," Tony protectively agreed, moving to place a hand on Lizzie's shoulder, "gonna have to disagree with that one."

"You're not exactly the best judge of character, Stark," Natasha dead-panned. Tony's jaw clenched.

"This is _crazy_ ," Scott opined to Nat, gesturing to the entire room. "I've known Summer and Lizzie for years. They're not _spies for the Triad_. What the hell?" He moved to the edge of his seat, his anger and stress clearly getting to him. Throwing a pointed finger in her direction, he suggested, "I mean, couldn't I just as easily accuse _you_ of being the mole since you seemed so ready to pin it on Michael and be done with it?

"You can accuse me of anything," Natasha replied with a somewhat threatening grin. "Though I wouldn't recommend it."

"You do have a motive," Tony shrugged, thinking nothing of joining in now that Natasha had questioned Lizzie. "You wanted the Captain gig and lost out. Plenty of people have killed for less."

Natasha rolled her eyes. " _I've_ killed for less. Doesn't mean I'm gonna destroy my family to get it."

"I just think it's unfair to automatically suspect the newest people first. Why not suspect everyone else?" he exclaimed. "At this point it could be anyone, even you _or_ Tony. Hell, even _him_!" He gestured to Lukas, who raised an eyebrow in more humorless amusement than anything else.

Aemilia, however **,** wasted no time in whipping her head his way and asking incredulously, "Are you _actually_ accusing my husband of being the culprit behind attacks that nearly killed me and our unborn child?"

Scott paused, looking from Aemilia to Bucky and back again, both of them glaring quite ferociously while Lukas awaited Scott's response with great interest. "... No ma'am."

"Good, because if you had, I might have seen fit to cut your tongue out to prevent any further reckless – and baseless – accusations," Aemilia replied in a remarkably matter-of-fact sort of way, which made her words all the more terrifying.

Scott nodded and piped down. "Yes ma'am."

Bucky sighed. "We're not gonna get anywhere this way."

"No, we are not," Lukas agreed, "and as entertaining as this might be, we are doing a disservice to the victims present in this room by going in pointless circles when most of us could likely agree on who is the most suspicious."

"And that would be?" Bucky asked.

Lukas looked about the room and sighed. "My mother's theory is quite compelling, I think it's a rather possible one. Even Natasha gave compelling reasoning towards her theory, though I personally disagree. Otherwise... perhaps your top suspect."

Bucky nodded, happy to hear that someone finally agreed with him. But Summer knew exactly who that top suspect was and groaned, "Bucky, you _know_ it's not -"

"Summer," he said, gently cutting her off, "you gotta let me do my job."

Summer opened her mouth but then snapped it shut, too tired to argue when she knew he wouldn't back down. Nobody was listening to her, it seemed, and the two top theories were both equally unacceptable to her. Not that she had anything better to offer, but _still_...

"All right," Sam spoke up for the first time, breaking the brief, edgy silence that fell upon the room. "So what now?"

He was officially fed up of going round and round all this bullshit and still not finding results. " _Now_ ," Bucky said, producing a pistol from under his jacket, "I'm gonna get the truth."

Summer's eyes widened at the sight of the gun, but her stomach utterly dropped seconds later when he quickly marched forward to where Scott was sitting and aimed the gun directly at his forehead with a terrifying growl of: "Tell me the truth right now or I swear to God I'll put a bullet in your brain."

Scott's face drained in bone-chilling terror **.** He went white as a sheet, his very life flashing behind his eyes as he instinctively lifted his hands in the air and fell back against the couch cushions. "Wh-what? _Me_? You think it's me?! I -"

"Bucky!" Summer half-screamed, flying to her feet only to get pulled back down by Aemilia and restrained from getting in the middle of it. She looked at Aemilia in confusion but only struggled for a moment before looking back to her husband and ex-boyfriend, yelling again but receiving not an ounce of attention from either of them.

Bucky pressed the gun to Scott's forehead and held it there. "You're the one who makes sense. None of this shit happened until I made the mistake of getting your sentence cut. What happened?" He leaned in, a snarl at his lips. "Triad get to you in prison, threaten your daughter if you didn't work for them?"

" _No!_ " Scott cried in sheer desperation **,** his eyes turning glassy in an all-encompassing panic. "I swear on Cassie's _life_ , I've never worked against you or anyone in this room!"

Bucky growled under his breath and cocked the gun, pressing it even harder to Scott's head, his hand _frighteningly_ steady. "Last chance, Lang."

Summer panicked and broke free of Aemilia's hands, ready to play the proverbial Pocahontas and throw herself in front of Scott to save his life, but Sam caught her this time. As he held her back and Bucky's finger hovered over the trigger, something in his periphery caught his attention just long enough for him to glance over and notice that there was exactly one person present in the room who wasn't watching the scene unfold with horror, one person who was instead leaning forward and staring at the floor with their hands covering their mouth as if to keep from being sick.

Sam kept his eyes on that person and called to Bucky, "Hey, Boss."

Bucky either didn't hear him or ignored him, telling Scott, "I mean it. You're out of time."

Scott whimpered and resorted to begging. "Please, man, you gotta believe me, I _swear_ I would never -"

" _Boss!_ " Sam finally yelled, loudly enough to get Bucky's attention. Bucky kept his gun where it was but snapped his eyes to Sam, who gave him a meaningful look and then nodded towards the suspect in question. The cacophony of voices died as everyone followed the gesture. All eyes turned to the man at Frieda's side.

Slowly, Bucky pulled the gun away from Scott, letting it hang at his side as Scott breathed a massive sigh of relief and practically collapsed in on himself. Summer's panic became brief confusion as she along with everyone else stared at Pietro, who was clearly in a serious state of distress.

Bucky only gave a few seconds of pause before quietly, non-threateningly muttering, "Pietro?"

Without looking up or otherwise acknowledging him, Pietro flexed his fingers over his face and confessed with misery and everlasting shame, "They were going to kill my sister."

Frieda's jaw dropped with pure and utter shock. There was a minuscule beat of nothingness before all Hell broke loose once again, tenfold **.** Thor moved blindingly fast, grabbing his mother and all but throwing her to her feet and tossing her behind him protectively. Lukas, previously the picture of calm observation, deduced what had spared Scott and a murderous rage immediately flamed to life behind his melting gaze **.** Bucky didn't even have time to raise his gun or ask a single question before Lukas shot from his seat and whipped out two lethal daggers from seemingly nowhere. He rushed past Bucky with an angry growl of " _You?!_ "

Summer stood and watched with her own mouth hanging open as Pietro finally opened his eyes and looked up, facing the horrified eyes of Frieda and the rage of her sons as they stood ready to kill him where he sat. Aemilia stood up and watched in shock herself, taking Summer's side and covering her mouth, absolutely stunned.

"I'm sorry," he said pitifully, tears immediately springing forth. "They sent me a live feed of her in the park, with a red sniper's dot between her eyes and I just... I panicked and I knew I should have come to you," he told Frieda, "but…but I was scared and the thought of _losing_ her -"

Frieda turned away from him, unable to look at him. Thor growled, "So you lied and took advantage of my mother and put us all in danger?"

Lukas suddenly hauled him up out of his seat by his shirt and pressed one of his blades to his jugular. Pietro did nothing to fight it. "I nearly lost my wife and daughter because of you," he seethed. He gestured to Summer and spat, "Her father is _dead_ now. Did he know? Is that what was so urgent that he had to tell her and why he was silenced?"

Something even deeper broke within the young man at that point and it showed on his face as he glanced at Summer before confessing dejectedly, "I thought they would just... scare him or... I didn't think they would kill him -"

"You knew _damn_ well what they would do," came Thor's half-shouted reply while Bucky closed his eyes and winced, the mystery solved at last but at a cost he hadn't anticipated. "And you sat here and watched as an innocent man was blamed and nearly shot for your actions!"

" _No_ , I would have... I was going to-"

"You're not going to do anything," Lukas interrupted, tossing him down to the floor. He crumpled onto his knees and Lukas looked to Bucky, asking with a wild-eyed anger, " _Well_?"

Bucky looked down at the double agent they'd been looking for all along, so perfectly overlooked and written off due to his remarkably harmless cover and lack of importance within the organization that it was truly stunning. He looked Pietro in the eye and asked, "What did they have you do?"

"Half of the time I never knew," he replied, shaking his head. "I would use Wanda's computer in her office when I'd pick her up from work, things like that. Sometimes it was schedules, itineraries, but most of the time they gave me things and I don't know -"

"Things? What things?" Bucky asked.

"The last time it was this tiny piece of tech," Pietro shrugged, tears springing free from his eyes. "I just put it on the computer and it did all the work. I think it hacked in, downloaded information - I didn't look, I didn't want to know."

"When was this?"

"Two, three weeks ago. He saw me, her father," Pietro replied, briefly looking at Summer and looking away as if it hurt to do so. "I _swear_ I didn't know what would happen."

"But you knew what's _already_ happened," Bucky replied, keeping his tone steady even as white-hot fury rose up in his chest. "They want us all dead. Summer most of all, the rest of us a close second. Your actions damn near killed a mother and her baby. They _did_ kill people. There's no excuse."

"I know, I'm a coward, I'm..." he shook his head and took a moment, seemingly fighting a wave of near-vomit. " _I'm sorry_."

Bucky looked up at Lukas, features utterly terrifying as he and Thor stood ready to kill the man for his betrayal. But they were ultimately not the first victims of Pietro's crimes, so to reach a verdict, Bucky turned his eyes to Aemilia, Summer and Frieda and said, "It's your choice."

Frieda looked down dismissively at Pietro, his gaze full of shame and desperation but hers full of _nothing_ , disgust lacing her tone as she turned away and told Summer and Aemilia, "Do as you wish with him. He is nothing to me."

It was as if those words triggered a sudden drop in restraint. Summer jumped startled when Pietro suddenly cried out in pain, having been kicked hard in the side by Lukas and falling over as a result. Lukas kicked him again, this time in the stomach, and nobody lifted a finger to stop it. Thor didn't join in or intervene to stop it, but as the blows kept coming and Pietro tried instinctively squirming away, Thor stopped him and tossed him back to his brother.

This went on for awhile, the rest of the room in silence and the others watching without objection apart from Frieda - she didn't leave but she took a seat next to Lizzie and refused to look at what was happening. With each passing moment Lukas grew more angry and more savage, bloodying the traitor as he took his own revenge, the depths of his rage stemming from old but bone-deep wounds given to him by his dead, useless father whom had been the first man to hurt his mother and endanger his family, and now here was this stupid and insignificant child doing the very same thing. Lukas _hated_ him, hated the very air that he breathed, and that hatred was palpable to the entire room.

Summer could only watch for so long before she started feeling sick. Unable to take another moment of it, she looked at Aemilia and was both impressed and a little frightened by her calm, unbothered expression.

But as much as Summer wanted to take some kind of joy or relief in Pietro's suffering, she couldn't. If what he said was true, and nobody seemed to doubt it, he had been placed in a terrifying situation and had made a series of reckless choices that had terrible, horrible consequences, but it wasn't from a place of hatred or evil. It was instead from fear and cowardice but most of all love of his twin sister, the only family he had left in the world. It was an impossible position to be in, and even through her grief and confusion, Summer couldn't hate him.

And apparently, neither could Aemilia. When Lukas raised one of his knives and prepared to bury it deep within Pietro's back, appropriate for a backstabber, Aemilia blinked and said firmly and clearly, "Stop."

Lukas obeyed in an instant, looking up at his wife and breathlessly replying, "Why?"

"Because," she pointed out quietly, "he is a traitor, but he is not without use. If we play this right, we could gain the upper hand with the Triad and finally end all of this for good."

Bucky turned to Aemilia and asked, "How?"

"He continues on with business as usual, maintaining his cover within the Triad," Aemilia replied. "We assign extra protection to Wanda and make sure she is never in harm's way. And Pietro atones for his sins by serving as _our_ double agent."

"It's risky," Bucky replied.

"Yes, but it's by far our best move," she said, stepping forward closer to Pietro. Thor moved out of her way and she held Lukas' still-murderous gaze for a moment before kneeling down in front of Pietro, looking into his now-bruised eyes and asking, "Do you agree to this?"

He nodded, wincing at his obvious injuries as tears continued to stain his cheeks. "Yes. I don't expect forgiveness, just... please protect my sister."

"You have my word," Aemilia replied, a hand moving to rest on her belly. Her eyes flashed and voice deepened. "You don't deserve a second chance. You're a coward and a liar and it's because of you that I almost lost another child. But you were in an impossible situation and I cannot deny that. And quite frankly, you're worth more to us alive than dead."

Pietro nodded. "I understand. I'll do anything to make it right."

Aemilia nodded, expression chillingly neutral. "Good. Because if you step one foot out of line or tell one single lie from this point forward, I'll kill you myself. And I promise, by the time I'm done with you, you'll be _begging_ for it."

Pietro nodded again, accepting the terms without argument. Aemilia then rose to her feet - Thor helping her back up, the task being rather difficult in her very pregnant state - and added, "One more thing. Apologize to Frieda and Summer."

"I don't want his words," Frieda immediately said.

"Apologize to Summer," Aemilia amended, taking her place back at Summer's side as Pietro struggled back to his knees, Lukas still behind him with his daggers out _just_ in case.

Summer could barely stand to look at him, in pain and bloody and drowning in crippling self-loathing and shame, none of it bringing her any joy and all of it only making her feel worse after the horrific night she'd had. She was dangerously close to the point of shutting down entirely, but she hung on just long enough for Pietro to meet her gaze and murmur quietly, "I'm sorry. I'm _so_ sorry."

Her eyes filling with tears for the umpteenth time that night, Summer took a shaky breath and replied, "I can't forgive you. Maybe someday I will but right now I just... I can't. I hate all of this and I just want it to be over." Then she winced and added hastily, "Lukas, can you please put the knives away? I swear if I see one more person get hurt tonight I'm gonna lose it."

Lukas hesitantly but understandingly sheathed the daggers back inside his coat. "He deserved far worse than that, Summer."

"I know," she nodded. "But I'm... I don't think I'm like you and... everyone else. I don't have the stomach for this. I just want it all to stop. I don't want anyone else hurt. It's just a never ending cycle and I'm scared we're never gonna get out of it and -"

Just before she would have cracked and started crying and possibly descended into another breakdown, Bucky grabbed her and shushed her and pulled her into a hug that she melted into, pressing herself to him so hard it made her bones ache.

"It's all right," he whispered in her ear so nobody else would hear. "You've seen enough. You don't have to see anymore tonight. Nobody else needs to get hurt. We found the mole and now we're gonna end this, I promise."

Summer nodded against his shoulder and clung to him even more tightly, trying to believe those words with everything in her. She was exhausted and scared and sad and overwhelmed, but he was right - now they had the tools to win at last. They had a secret advantage now and would surely exploit it to their maximum benefit, and if they were successful, this really would all be over and they could all finally live in peace. It was such a sweet, beautiful thought, and she prayed it wouldn't be just a mere thought or idea like she feared. She didn't know how much more of this that she could take.

But for now, the only thing that she could do was keep moving. She wasn't sure _how_ she would, but with Bucky and her mother and friends all around her... she knew she could.

* * *

Following that rather dramatic and emotional _family meeting_ , Aemilia was the first to retreat to bed not out of choice but necessity, as the stress of the entire night had caused some irregular contractions to spring up. It wasn't unexpected, but Lukas insisted on her retiring for the night and taking it easy while he helped Bucky and Natasha plan their next moves. Frieda went with her, dealing with her own anger and shock the best way she knew how, by falling into the role of caregiver and helping ensure that her grandchild was all right. As for Summer, she understood that Bucky was needed downstairs but she had reached her limit of what she could physically handle and went upstairs to crash and burn. Lizzie followed her, not wanting her to be alone and overthink herself into a night of insomnia when she so desperately needed rest.

At Lizzie's insistence, Summer took a shower and metaphorically washed the horrid night away. She didn't really feel any better afterwards but it did help rid her body of leftover adrenaline, leaving her more profoundly tired than she'd ever been in her life. Stuffed comfortably in a fluffy bathrobe and feeling like her limbs weighed a ton each, Summer left Bucky's bathroom and dragged herself to his bed, where Lizzie was perched on the edge and waiting for her. Summer sat next to her, both of them sharing a weary look and sighing long and heavy before Lizzie broke the silence.

"I can honestly say that I never thought I'd accused of being a spy for the Chinese mob."

"Yeah," Summer mused. "Me too. But Natasha's... Natasha. I don't think we're supposed to take it personally. And I mean... she wasn't wrong."

"Yeah, I guess not. But still. _Damn_. I guess this is our lives now. Some kind of weird... mob soap opera." She then turned to Summer and covered her hand with one of hers, telling her, "I'm so sorry, baby."

Summer nodded, for once not having to fight any new tears. "Me too. I know you left him but..."

"Doesn't matter," Lizzie shook her head. "Still feels like losing the other half of me."

"I hope Tony understands."

"Oh, he does," Lizzie nodded. "He's divorced, he knows how it is. Divorce isn't a delete button, doesn't just get rid of 20 years of your life."

"Yeah. I'm glad you have him," Summer told Lizzie sincerely. "Especially right now."

Lizzie gave a sad smile. "Me too."

Summer turned her hand and gave Lizzie's a squeeze. "I just... can't imagine it ever not feeling like this."

"I lost my Papa when I was about your age," Lizzie replied. "Time makes everything better. It'll always hurt, but it won't always hurt like this. I promise."

Summer blinked heavily, feeling like she could fall asleep sitting up. "I hope you're right."

"I am," Lizzie smiled, removing her hand to give Summer a one-armed hug. "You need to get some sleep, honey. I can stay with you if you want."

Summer shook her head. "No, that's okay. I'm gonna be out as soon as my head hits the pillow. You can go."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Yep. And Bucky will be up here eventually, I'm sure, so..."

"I hope so. They're down there plotting a damn war," Lizzie sighed, standing up from the bed. "But you call me if you need me, okay? Promise?"

"I promise," Summer nodded, mustering up a tiny, barely there smile to try to reassure her. It seemed to work, and after giving her one more hug and telling her she loved her, Lizzie quietly left the room and headed to her own. Once she was alone, Summer let out a deep breath and flopped back on the bed, closing her eyes and ready to stop thinking and stop existing for awhile as sleep overtook her. But, to her dismay, barely halfway to slumber her mind flashed with that horrid memory of finding her father hanging in his bedroom and her eyes flew open.

She groaned and covered her face with her hands, rubbing her eyes and wishing she could just _sleep_. Now wishing she hadn't insisted Lizzie go to bed herself, she was contemplating her options when she heard a soft knock on the doorframe. She sat up and blinked in surprise to see Lukas of all people standing there, looking rather exhausted himself.

"Hey," she said quietly. "Is everything okay?"

"Fine," he assured her. "Your husband asked me to check in on you."

"Oh. I'm okay," she half-lied. "Just trying to sleep. Not really happening, so..."

He nodded, stepping inside with his hands in his pockets. "I suspected as much."

As he took a seat next to her on the edge of the bed, Summer asked, "How's Aemilia? Is she okay?"

"Contractions stopped, thankfully. Trying to sleep now, same as you. She wanted to come check on you herself but I insisted she stay in bed until she's had a full night's sleep."

"Good," Summer sighed. "Tonight was just..."

"A nightmare. In more ways than one. You know," Lukas began quietly, looking down at his hands as he spoke, "whatever you're feeling... it's okay to feel that way."

Summer looked up at him in surprise, blinking her bleary eyes and asking equally quietly, "What do you mean?"

Lukas briefly met her eyes before looking back down to his hands, furrowing his brows a bit as he gathered his words. "When my father died, I wasn't particularly sad to see him go. I don't know how much of the story you're aware of, but he was nothing more to me than a source of torment and misery from the time I could walk until the day he died. To be completely honest, a part of me - and it was no small part - was happy to see him gone at last. But," he turned his eyes back to Summer, shadows of his past visible in their green depths, "even then, I still mourned."

Summer exhaled a little shakily, pausing before replying, "My dad, he... he was... not a good dad, but he was definitely nowhere near as bad as yours. I can't even imagine what all you went through."

Lukas nodded slightly. "But you see, when he died I wasn't only mourning _him_. There was hardly anything to mourn in the first place. More than anything, I had to mourn the father that he _should_ have been. The father I deserved but would never have. And now, unfortunately... you have to do the same."

As exhaustedl and cried-out as her eyes were, those words brought a new wave of moisture to them. "I just... I can't believe he's gone. He's always been there. Even though he wasn't really ever _there_ for me, he was... there." She frowned and looked away, shaking her head. "I'm not making any sense."

"Yes you are," Lukas assured her, placing a comforting hand on her back. "And it'll sink in, with time. Time makes everything easier."

"I hope so," she sniffled, wiping at her eyes. "Because I hate feeling like this. This is... it doesn't feel _right_."

Lukas nodded and pulled her closer, and she obliged without a second thought. As he held her in a friendly one-armed embrace and she laid her tired head on his shoulder, he told her, "Just allow yourself to feel whatever it is that you might feel. Don't worry about grieving _wrong_ or worse, don't let yourself go numb. That's the worst thing you can do, trust me."

"I wish I _could_ be numb," she admitted, closing her eyes. "But I don't think I can. Every time I close my eyes I see him hanging again and I just..."

Lukas hugged her a little tighter. "I know. And you'll never forget it. But it will fade. Everything fades eventually."

She kept her eyes closed, and Lukas stayed silent in the quiet moments that followed. He looked up after a few moments passed and the sound of footsteps reached his ears, and he wasn't surprised to see Bucky standing in the doorway. He watched Bucky look at Summer with sadness and a distinct sort of helplessness in his eyes, and when Summer let out a soft, almost inaudible snore, both men blinked in surprise.

Lukas then looked back up at Bucky and gave him a small, sad smile. Bucky gestured to the bed behind them and Lukas nodded, waiting a few moments before painstakingly carefully moving the poor, exhausted woman out of his arms and on to the bed. She was so thoroughly _out_ that she didn't so much as twitch at being moved like that, and after tugging a light blanket over her and closing the curtains in the room to give Summer her best chance at a few hours' sleep, Lukas met Bucky in the doorway.

"She fell asleep on you," Bucky noted quietly and affectionately, watching Summer sleep at last.

"I've not seen anyone so drained and exhausted since Aemilia was shot," Lukas sighed. "She's had a truly ghastly day."

Bucky shook his head. "These things keep happening to her, to all of us, and it's like I just... can't do shit to stop any of it." He shifted his gaze to Lukas and added, "I just got off the phone with Pierce. He's sending in someone to babysit us like he threatened awhile back."

Lukas rolled his eyes. "What an enormous waste of time. Did he say who?"

Bucky nodded. "Your uncle Viktor."

Lukas narrowed his eyes, instantly getting that murderous look about him again. "Are you joking?"

"I'd never joke about that," Bucky shook his head. "All the more reason to end this now and put it behind us."

"Yes, well, let's hope that idiotic traitor of ours proves as useful as you and Aemilia seem to think he is."

"It's our best shot," Bucky replied, turning back to Summer. "We can get off the defense and get on offense. Put these fuckers in the ground and be done with this shit so you and Aemilia can have your baby in peace and... Summer stops losing pieces of herself."

"She'll be all right," Lukas assured him. "She's resilient. Like you. Perhaps even more so."

Bucky grinned a little bit at him. "You kidding me? She's way fucking stronger than I'll ever be."

"Exactly why she's the perfect woman for you," Lukas replied, giving his shoulder a pat. "Trust me, I would know."

As Lukas headed to his own room, Bucky lingered in the doorway and found himself undecided as to his next course of action. He'd been planning on going back downstairs, back to the war room where his team was planning their next moves, but the last thing he wanted to do now was go back. The sun would be rising soon, possibly within a matter of minutes, and seeing Summer curled up in his bed made it suddenly hit him just how exhausted he was.

He decided that his team could carry on without him just fine for a few hours. He stepped inside and gently closed the door, turning off the lights and undressing as quietly as possible. Summer didn't so much as stir at any of the noise, keeping perfectly still even as he slipped carefully into bed beside her.

She only began to wake up when he pulled her into his arms, her brows furrowing and hands flailing aimlessly as she whined, " _No, no_ -"

"Sh, sh, it's me," Bucky whispered, holding her tighter and wondering just what she'd been dreaming to make her have that reaction. He hoped that whatever it was, she wouldn't remember in the morning.

Summer settled back down quickly, asleep once more and safe in Bucky's arms. He closed his eyes and held her close, sleep soon overtaking him and at last bringing their long, tulmultuous night to an end. They'd taken another deep, hard hit but the tide was turning now, Bucky could feel it and _had_ to believe it, and tomorrow was gonna be the first day of the end of the fight. He was gonna make sure of it.

It was time to hit back. And he planned to hit back _hard_.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: heyyyyy everyone! Another delayed chapter but at least it wasn't 8/9 months like last time amirite? :p I think I'm over the hump now of the part of story that was giving me such a hard time, so here's to hoping that I can smash updates out in a more timely manner now. Thank you guys again for your patience and continued interest, it never fails to blow me away and I hope this is worth the wait! My undying thanks to midnightwings96 for her irreplaceable help every step of the way - without her none of this would exist and without her help getting me un-stuck constantly I'd probably be stuck at like... chapter 2 LOL. Also thank you to MorningGlory2 for her incredibly sweet support and excitement for this update, I hope you likey as well :D and to the readers, reviewers, lurkers... I love you all so much and you're the best. I look forward to hearing from you guys and I'll do mah very best to update again soon!**

A few days later, Summer was alone in the manor's gym and up far earlier than she would have ever chosen to be normally. But sleep was hard to come by these days and she preferred being up and moving to laying in bed staring at the ceiling and watching horrible, traumatic images flash behind her eyelids every time she closed them. So instead, with her hair thrown up in a messy bun and her hands wrapped up, she decided to take out her anger and frustration on the heavy punching bag she typically avoided if she could.

Shock over her father's death had now turned to anger, right on track with the five stages of grief, and while punching and kicking a bag full of sand could only do so much, it allowed her the only kind of release she knew how to get. She was much stronger physically than she had once been, all of her jabs and kicks proper and in good form, reflecting very well on the training she had received since her life had turned upside down. She didn't find much joy or pride in it, though. Normally she did but now... _now_ she just didn't know what to feel.

She'd been trying to process for days now but it was all over her head. Her dad hanging from the the ceiling, his apparent suicide a sham, watching Bucky nearly murder Scott right before her eyes, watching Lukas and Thor nearly rip Pietro apart when he was revealed to be the true rat among them... and hers and Lizzie's loyalty being questioned all the while.

It was too much. Too much grief, too much confusion, too much pain, and now too much anger. What was she supposed to do with it all? What _could_ she do?

She couldn't do a damn thing. But she could keep punching, so that was exactly what she did until a familiar raspy voice from behind startled her and made her still and whip her head around.

"You know, maybe you'd feel better if you were hitting a real person and not a bag. I mean, what's that bag ever done to you?"

Breathing hard from exertion, Summer sighed at the sight of Natasha and gave a small shrug. "I don't know. But nobody was up yet, so..."

"Well, now I am," Natasha replied, reaching back to tie up her own hair. "And you can hit me instead if you want. You probably want to after the other night."

Summer shook her head, wiping the sweat off of her forehead with the back of her hand. "Not really. I get it."

Natasha simply looked at her knowingly and gently replied, "Summer, you're not... hardened like all of us. All of this is still very new to you and you just lost your _father_. I questioned your loyalty. I know it hurt."

Summer paused and looked away, giving a weak shrug. "You... you have to be objective. I understand."

Natasha nodded. "Yes I do. But I'm also your friend. And just so you know," she added softly, "I'm very glad it wasn't you. Might have killed my last sliver of hope for humanity if it had been."

The genuine fondness that colored her words left Summer surprised. "... Really?"

"Yeah. You're so... normal. Guess I don't know a lot of normal people," she chuckled faintly. "All of us, we've lived lives that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. I'm sorry that you and your family were brought into all of this. You shouldn't have been."

Swallowing down a lump of emotion, Summer fought to keep the threat of tears at bay and muttered, "No we shouldn't have. And it's so... weird... because if it hadn't happened, if my dad hadn't messed up so bad and then handed me over I wouldn't have Bucky and I wouldn't have all of you and I _love_ you guys. I love you all _so_ much. But then I... the thing with Rumlow wouldn't have happened. I wouldn't have had to shoot that guy and then Aemilia wouldn't have been shot and... my dad would still be alive. I don't know what to think or _how_ to think."

"It's all a mess," Nat replied in her matter of fact but yet not cold way. "But it is what it is. We can only control so much. And all of this was beyond your control. You couldn't have stopped what happened."

"I know," Summer replied shakily, a rogue tear fighting its way to her cheek. "In my head, I know that. But..."

"I know. I do," Natasha assured her. "We've all lost too much. Most of us are orphans. We're all damaged and we feel like monsters because we have to act like monsters to survive sometimes. But at the end of the day," she looked down and clenched her jaw, one of the most overt displays of emotion that Summer had ever seen from her despite how subtle it was. "At the end of the day we're together. That's what's important." She looked back up and added softly, "And you're one of us now. For better or worse. You're not alone."

Summer nodded, tears now clouding her vision and anger dissipating for a little while. She hesitated only briefly before stepping forward and hugging the smaller woman, not giving her any chance to complain or escape the embrace even though she was pretty sure she wouldn't. And she was right.

"Thank you," she mumbled into Natasha's shoulder, squeezing her as Nat sighed and patted her on the back.

"You're welcome," Natasha replied, glancing over Summer's shoulder towards the doorway where Bucky was standing, quietly watching the scene unfold with a sad but fond expression.

He had woken up alone for the first time in ages and had immediately panicked a bit, barely stopping to throw a pair of pants on before tearing out of his room to search for her. He had checked absolutely everywhere including the gardens and Lukas and Aemilia's room before finding her where he least expected to, in the gym with Natasha.

He was grateful that he could count on the others in his family to take care of her and look out for her when he couldn't. Knowing that she was in good hands, he took a breath and slipped away. It was gonna be a rough day for her with Michael's funeral scheduled to take place at noon, and he wanted to be as present and supportive for it as he possibly could be. That meant getting any and all business finished and out of the way well before they had to leave.

Meanwhile, after Summer pulled away and wiped at her eyes, Natasha smiled and gave her shoulder a tap. "Ready to hit me now?"

Summer smiled and let out a huff. "As long as you don't let me win just because you feel bad for me."

Natasha grinned back and tilted her head. "All right. You asked for it."

* * *

Summer hated funerals. There was nowhere on earth she would have rather been less than a crowded Catholic church full of people there to mourn her father, but she knew she didn't have a choice. She had to be there for Lizzie and couldn't have lived with herself if she had skipped her own father's funeral, no matter how badly she wished that she could have.

It was difficult to pick which aspect of it that she hated the most, but she had plenty of time to mull it over as she suffered through the event. It might have been the way that everyone looked at her with pity, all the former work colleagues that had happily thrown Michael under the bus when he went under and were now pretending to be some of his closest friends and in deep pain over his passing. They offered her empty words of consolation and some of them even tried to make her feel better, telling her not to blame herself and that suicides were tragedies that could rarely be prevented. She had to nod and thank them while inwardly boiling over the fact that she couldn't scream the truth from the rooftops.

But Bucky stayed at her side and kept her grounded, taking her hand when he could see her starting to reach her limit and pulling her away to take a break whenever she needed one. And even more stunning than his devotion to her, everyone from the manor came to show their support and pay their respects. _Everyone_ , aside from Pietro whose absence didn't need to be explained.

She was most definitely far from alone, just as Natasha had told her. She clung to that support like the lifeline it was and it carried her through to the end, through Mass and all the way to the burial at a cemetery just outside of the city.

As the closed casket was lowered into the freshly dug grave awaiting it, Summer watched quietly and without tears, anger resurfacing and temporarily shielding her from the hurt that she needed to ignore to get through that particular day. On her right was Bucky, his arm wrapped around her and holding her close, and on her left was Aemilia and Lukas. Aemilia held her hand, her silent but profound support every bit as strong as that of Lukas, and Summer could breathe easier with the three of them at her side.

Next to them, Lizzie wasn't able to keep her tears at bay quite as well as Summer and she cried silently but freely, flanked by Tony and Frieda. She and Summer were all Michael left behind, no other family left but them, no real loved ones aside from the women he'd let down over and over in his too-short time on earth.

But Summer would always love him regardless and treasure what few good memories she had of him. And as for Lizzie, as much as she knew that divorcing him had been one of the best things she had ever done, she also knew that marrying him was the also one of the best decisions she'd ever made because it had brought her and Summer together and made their bond possible. She had never stopped loving Michael and never would, and she would never regret the years she had spent with them since they had led her to where she was now.

Once the casket was in the ground, laid there gently and respectfully, Summer closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. Bucky kissed her hair and Aemilia squeezed her hand, and when she opened her eyes she asked in a small but steady, deceptively calm voice, "We're gonna kill them, right?"

Bucky's arm tightened around her and his warm breath washed over her ear as he quietly gave his answer. "Every last one of them, sweetheart."

* * *

If Summer had hoped she'd have time after the funeral to process her grief and work on the anger that ebbed and flowed but never seemed to leave her, she would have been sadly mistaken. The very next day was the busiest and most eventful she'd had since the day of Michael's death.

Viktor was flying in that day to play babysitter and auditor to the family in the wake of the mess that had been made, and that meant giving him a proper welcome whether they wanted to or not. As event planner and wife of the Captain, Summer was well aware that she was supposed to be a central part of that welcome despite the fact that Aemilia and Frieda took it upon themselves to begin preparing the manor without so much as a word in Summer's direction. She knew that they were doing that out of care and courtesy, but she didn't want to sit on the sidelines and cry uselessly while others carried out her work on her behalf.

She was grieving, after all, not dead herself. And perhaps throwing herself back into work and duty was the best way to start feeling vaguely human again.

She had been planning that night's dinner with Frieda and the main chef when Bucky had interrupted and asked her to join him on a trip into the city to meet Director Carter at SHIELD. Summer had been surprised for all of five seconds until she remembered how central she was to the whole ordeal, how inextricably linked she was to all of these horrible things that kept happening over and over. And even if she hadn't been, she was Bucky's wife and, just as with matters of the manor, she had a role to play in the war, as well.

She found herself on autopilot throughout the meeting, annoyed by everyone who greeted her at SHIELD and looked at her like she was either useless or some poor soul caught up in something she knew nothing about. Director Carter looked at her a bit like the latter, shaking her head at her but greeting her surprisingly warmly even if the look in her eyes said _you should have listened to me while you'd had the chance_. But even more unexpected was the brief but genuine hug from Steve after, and condolences that weren't pitying nor irritating but were real and offered from a place of understanding that could only come with knowing the same loss.

If nothing else, those interactions and Bucky's constant presence at her side gave her the strength to get through the meeting and listen to her father's death and all of the consequences and complicating factors be discussed around her in grave detail. They sat at the same long table in the same conference room they had during Summer's first visit, Sam and Natasha there to help discuss strategy and Tony there for tech reconnaissance while the group dissected Pietro's betrayal and how it had happened, and what they could do about it going forward to use it to their advantage.

"I don't like this," Peggy sighed, though she never seemed to particularly like anything that had to do with the Bratva or her agency's partnership with it. "He's already betrayed you once. I have very little faith in his value as an asset."

"Frankly," Bucky replied, "so do I. But it's our best move. And Pietro's not... he's not loyal to anyone but his sister. He did what he did because of her. If I thought he had the slightest loyalty to the Triad I wouldn't entertain this as an option."

Peggy worked her jaw, neither objecting nor endorsing his judgment. "And what of the sister? Is she aware of all of this?"

"Not yet," Natasha replied. "She works for Summer at the office. She's been holding down the fort there while Summer's been on leave. Unless Pietro's told her and I highly doubt he has, she doesn't know a thing."

"Best if we change that," Peggy sighed. "Bring them both in tomorrow and we'll go from there."

Having been staring down at the table for most of the conversation, Summer's eyes snapped up and landed on Bucky next to her before flying to Peggy. "No."

And just like that, with one word, every single pair of eyes present were fixed upon her. She swallowed with sudden anxiety but didn't shrink, even when Peggy asked curiously, "I beg your pardon?"

"I don't think..." Summer paused and then cleared her throat, taking a deep breath after. "I don't think she should know."

"If she's going to be under my protection going forward I want her to be as aware as possible of the danger she's in so she knows not to take any unnecessary risks," Peggy replied, firmly but not unkind.

"She's young," Summer argued, calmly but steadily, even though her heart was pounding in her ears. "Younger than me and innocent and... if she knows she's had a gun on her for months it's gonna change everything. She'll never be the same. The toll it takes on a person who's never been through anything like this, knowing there's people out there who want you dead... I know how hard it is and what it does to your head and don't wish that on anyone, especially not her. I'm sure you guys can protect her without her knowing you're there. That's kind of your thing, right? Covert ops?"

The room was silent for a few seconds until Steve, sitting at Peggy's right as usual, looked from Summer to Peggy and said, "She's right. She doesn't need to know. We can protect her just as effectively with her in the dark and living life normally. Might even be easier that way."

Summer's confidence suddenly shooting through the roof, she looked with wide eyes from Steve to Peggy and watched as the director eyed Steve in a way that was both exasperated and maybe just the slightest bit affectionate before she sighed, "I don't know why I'm surprised. But I reserve the right to inform the girl if and when I feel it becomes necessary."

Steve nodded. "Absolutely, ma'am."

And with that, Peggy moved on to the question of their next tactical move, and Summer only realized her hand was shaking when Bucky reached under the table and took it in his own. She looked up at him and found a proud little grin on his face, clearly impressed with how she had spoken her mind in a room full of people infinitely more experienced than her and had succeeded in making them see her side of things. She squeezed his hand back and exhaled with relief now that it was over, glad to have made a difference and hopefully spared Wanda the kind of anxiety that Summer herself had been struggling with for months.

She missed the way that Bucky glanced at Steve with that grin stuck to his face and raised his eyebrows as if to say _she's something, ain't she_. Steve smiled back, well aware by now of how much Bucky loved her and how constantly impressed by her that he was, incredibly happy that Bucky had finally found someone who made him smile like that again. Then he turned back to Peggy as she asked him a question, and Summer refocused on the conversation as it picked back up.

It was the best and most useful she'd felt in days. It was short lived, but she savored it while it lasted.

* * *

Later on, Summer was alone in hers and Bucky's room and sitting down at the vanity that had recently been moved from her old room into his, staring blankly at her reflection and holding a tube of mascara that she'd all but forgotten about actually using. Having been going all day and staying as busy as possible, this was the first bit of downtime she'd gotten since her early start to the day and it all crept up on her so sneakily and out of nowhere that she didn't even notice what she was doing until she heard a gentle knock on the door.

"Come in," she called automatically, blinking a few times and looking down at the mascara in her hand. She twisted it open and sighed, making a mental note to make sure that she got more than a couple hours of sleep that night as the door opened and Aemilia quietly stepped in.

"Are you nearly ready?" she asked, looking particularly radiant in a lavender dress that hugged her very pregnant body in all the best ways. Her auburn curls were down and magnificent as ever and Summer felt an immediate sense of comfort in her presence.

"Yeah, sorry, just kinda... I don't know, zoned out for a minute," she shrugged, leaning forward to look at her reflection more closely and apply the finishing touches. "What time is it? Is he almost here?"

"Viktor is on his way from the airport," Aemilia confirmed, one hand resting on her belly out of habit as she strolled towards Summer. "Everything's ready. Bucky was asking after you, so..."

Summer nodded, going over her lower lashes and making sure she got them all before closing the mascara and setting it down. "I wish this was happening another day. I'm so tired I feel like I could sleep for a week." She paused and added miserably, "Not that I can sleep for more than 4 hours these days."

"It'll get better," Aemilia assured her, standing behind Summer now and smiling gently at her reflection in the mirror. "Everything gets better with time."

"Yeah," Summer agreed as Aemilia ran her fingers through her wavy hair. "Time takes forever though."

Aemilia chuckled, grabbing the hairbrush from Summer's vanity and running it through her hair. "That's true even of pleasant things. I feel like I've been pregnant my entire life by this point, for example."

"You mean you haven't been?" Summer joked, trying to find her sense of humor amid her dreary state of mind. It worked, making Aemilia giggle as she began working Summer's hair into an updo that Summer hadn't had the energy to bother with herself.

"I haven't," Aemilia replied, "just as you won't be grieving like this forever."

"You know," Summer sighed, "at SHIELD today, Director Carter gave me this look... not quite like _I told you so_ but more like _I wish you would have listened to me_ , and it made me wonder... maybe if I'd taken her deal and done witness protection... my dad would still be alive. If I'd just -"

"Don't do that," Aemilia earned her, eyes turning a bit more sharp and determined in the mirror. "Once you start blaming yourself you'll never stop."

"But what if I could have stopped it? What if I'd taken that deal and then -"

"You didn't, darling," Aemilia said gently, carefully pinning her hair into place. "You can't change the past, you can't take back your decisions. Don't do that to yourself. And to be frank... your father is the one who decided to do business with the mob in the first place. He's the one who created the mess that led to all of this. Ultimately the responsibility for that falls on his shoulders, Summer. Not yours."

Summer couldn't argue with her logic, but she also couldn't quiet the nagging voice in her head telling her that she could have done more and could have changed her father's fate. She chose to try to ignore it for the time being and focus on the problem at hand. "You're right," she said quietly, watching Aemilia seemingly effortlessly work wonders with her hair. "So... any advice for tonight? Like for how to act around this douchebag?"

"Yes, actually," Aemilia nodded. "Do you remember my advice on your wedding day? About playing a role to get you through?"

Summer nodded. She'd never forget that advice, nor how petrified she had been on that day and the ones that followed. But it had been very good advice and had indeed helped get her through the day.

"You may have to do a bit of that tonight," Aemilia told her with a mild grimace. "Viktor is quite representative of the leadership that ordered your marriage to Bucky. His thinking is stuck in the Dark Ages and he doesn't respect any of us. I'm not telling you to change who you are or be a doormat, but you may need to bite your tongue a bit."

"So," Summer sighed, recalling something another old Russian man had called her at a party awhile back, "like if he calls me an American whore, just ignore it?"

"Well," Aemilia chuckled, "he likely won't go that far. Just don't let him get to you. He's nothing more than a necessary evil we must endure for a little while."

"Okay," Summer nodded as Aemilia pulled her hands away and admired her work. "God, how did you even do that?"

Aemilia held up her fingers and wiggled them with a grin. "Magic. What else?" Then she giggled and patted Summer's arm. "Now get up and let's go. Your husband misses you."

Summer took a deep breath, nodded and stood up. On the bright side, maybe the remainder of the night would be so thoroughly exhausting that she'd sleep like a baby once it was over.

Once they made their way downstairs, Aemilia led Summer outside to the front steps of the manor, where Bucky, Lukas, Frieda and Thor were ready and waiting for their guest. Summer and Aemilia made it there just in time, several cars pulling up along the winding driveway as Summer took her place next to her husband.

"There you are," Bucky smiled, his tone gentle as he looked her over and slipped his hand into hers. "I was starting to worry."

"I'm fine," she assured him, soaking up his affection when he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her temple. "Sorry I took forever."

"It's okay. You look great," he grinned, eyes sweeping over her elegant hair and sleeveless, knee-length deep blue dress and black heels. The fact that she still managed to blush a little when she felt so numb inside was a testament to how much she felt for the man.

"... You too," she replied, taking note of his black suit and combed back long hair, the gray at the sides prominent the way that she liked. "You look very... Captain-y."

That made him chuckle and press a short, sweet kiss to her lips, interrupted by Lukas clearing his throat next to them. "Useless relic of an old bastard, 12 o'clock."

Summer pulled away from the brief pleasant moment and took a deep breath, turning her gaze towards the car before them and the man she didn't recognize stepping out of the backseat. At first she assumed that he was an assistant or handler, but when the shorter-than-expected, mostly balding man began striding their way with all the haughty swagger of an old mobster who thought that he was better than everyone and wasn't afraid to throw his power around to prove it, she blinked and realized _that_ was Viktor.

He walked up to Bucky first, greeting him with a firm handshake and Russian words that Summer understood well enough by now, having witnessed enough greetings between Bucky and his Russian comrades. Then Viktor turned to her and switched to English as he shook her hand and said in a thick Russian accent, "Viktor Orlov, very nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Barnes."

She nodded, the heels she was wearing resulting in her actually looking down just a bit to make eye contact. "Nice to meet you too, thank you for coming." She even managed to utter the sentiment in a mildly believable tone.

"You have my condolences for the loss of your father," he added with a somber nod, and Summer thanked him quietly and let out a breath of relief when he released her hand and moved on. That was when things got a bit more interesting.

Standing toe to toe with Lukas and looking up at him with an expression as if Viktor wasn't almost comically small next to him, he opened his arms and greeted him with the Russian word for _nephew_. Lukas accepted the hug as woodenly and unenthusiastically as his manners would allow, but when they pulled apart, Viktor looked at him with very poorly hidden disdain and said, "If only it didn't take such dire circumstances to bring our family together."

"If only," Lukas replied with a fake smile that he didn't particularly try to mask.

Viktor then moved on to Aemilia, shaking her hand and congratulating her on the little one on the way before subjecting her to mutual cheek kisses, which Summer was happy to have avoided herself. Then he moved down the line to Thor, at which point he broke into a big obnoxious grin and pulled the much larger man into a hug, exclaiming something in Russian that Summer didn't understand but figured was just a much more sincere greeting than what Lukas had gotten. Thor patted his uncle on the back and glanced over at Lukas, verbally returning the sentiment in the same language but rolling his eyes at Lukas in a way that made the younger brother barely hide an amused grin.

After Thor, all that was left was Frieda, whom Viktor appeared most pleased to see of all. She maintained a perfectly neutral, politely pleasant expression as they exchanged greetings, extending a hand to him before he could try for a hug. When he took her hand and tried to pull it in for a kiss instead with a few possibly slightly inappropriate Russian words, she smoothly snatched her hand back and interrupted in English, "We are honored to have you here as always, Viktor. If you don't mind following me inside and out of the chill..."

She turned and began to walk inside without any further prompting, and Viktor followed along with his security detail with a nodded, "Of course, of course." The others turned to do the same, Summer glancing questioningly at Aemilia who gave her an eye roll crossed with a cringe in reply.

There was clearly some odd dynamics at play, but one thing was unmistakable - not a single member of the family liked the man or particularly wanted him anywhere near their home. Summer was equal parts interested and worried for how the evening would go, and still inexplicably surprised by her height advantage over the man. Then again, douchebags came in all shapes and sizes.

The manor was immaculate thanks to the efforts of Summer, Aemilia and Frieda, the scent of the equally perfect and extravagant dinner that was ready and waiting filling the entire lower floor as the group made their way past the foyer. The others greeted Viktor along the way, Sam and Natasha and Tony and everyone else present all affording the man the kind of respect that was expected and enforced within this kind of organization. It reminded Summer of royalty and the ceremony such figures stood on, the way that politics dictated such interactions and made them so tedious to deal with. She was starting to see why Bucky hated his job so deeply at times.

Nonetheless, everyone gathered at the table like civilized adults and sat down for the grand dinner, Bucky at one end of the table and Frieda at the other as usual. Viktor chose to sit between Thor and a suddenly nervous-looking Scott, whom Summer wasn't sure had actually been introduced to Viktor yet, and Summer sat at Bucky's left hand with Aemilia and Lukas next to her. Nat, Sam, Tony and Lizzie sat to Bucky's right, in that order.

The meal kicked off to an uneventful start, Viktor complementing the food and the decor and the general state of the manor, addressing most of his compliments to Frieda who accepted each one with a polite smile and thanks before refocusing her attention on her plate. Then he made brief small talk with Thor, looking at him as if he was the one bright spot amid a sea of disappointment, and Summer was starting to think that was exactly how Viktor viewed the family. She didn't know whether to be impressed or horrified by how blatant Viktor displayed his favoritism in a situation that didn't even call for any.

Still, everything was remarkably mundane up until Viktor struck up a conversation with Bucky, asking how the meeting at SHIELD had gone. Bucky gave him a rundown of the meeting and the gameplan as it stood, using Pietro as a sort of double agent and ramping up the offense on the Triad with SHIELD's backing and resources. Viktor nodded, then set down his fork on his plate and cleared his throat before looking around the now-quiet table.

"I fear it is all too little, too late," he said, addressing the family. "Ever since Alexander passed the mantle of Captain, I've seen a slow but steady decline in this American division and this... this weakness, this crumbling from within, is the proof. You people think that you can cling to your way of life and methods of leadership and regain the upper hand, but... deep down, at least some of you must know better than this."

"All due respect," Bucky began, "but none of this is a result of bad leadership. Not on my part, or Lukas', or -"

"Of course you think that," Viktor interrupted, and Summer's eyes widened a little - nobody ever interrupted him like that. "You are the problem."

Bucky's gaze narrowed and he set down his own fork then, leaning back in his seat and actually grinning a little bit, as if he was more than happy to see this turn into a fight. "Please, enlighten me."

"You know full well already, Barnes," Viktor grinned back. "You don't belong here as I do, as my brother did, as Thor does."

Lukas didn't dignify the remark with any sort of acknowledgment, instead sipping his wine quite calmly and enjoying the exquisite dinner despite the hideous circumstances.

Bucky rolled his eyes at Viktor's remark. "Yeah, I'm not fuckin' Russian, I get it. If I was, everything would magically be different, huh?"

"Perhaps you wouldn't be so weak," Viktor shrugged. "Perhaps you wouldn't be drowning in betrayal and scrambling to secure the people you pretend to call your family. Perhaps... death would not follow you like a shadow."

Summer's heart dropped. She stared wide-eyed from Viktor to Bucky and was surprised to see Bucky completely calm, still grinning as if they were discussing things of no consequence. "I know what you're doing, and it's not gonna work."

Viktor continued to smirk back. "Isn't it?"

"It is not," Lukas chimed in, still refusing to look Viktor's way. "You can try to goad us into losing our shit and behaving like animals, but we are not _quite_ so dim as to fall for such an obvious ploy. You'll have nothing to report back except our full and complete cooperation and hospitality."

Viktor stared at Lukas in amusement, then Bucky and, a moment later, Frieda. She merely smiled at him with a false sweetness, the same dangerous sort of smile that Summer had caught glimpses of from Lukas before, and said, "You're going to love dessert. I made sure to have your favorite prepared. Would you like more wine?"

Viktor chuckled, nodding to the wine question then resting his chin on two fingers as a staff member refilled his glass. He surveyed the group and their smug faces, the way that Sam was grinning quite openly and Natasha eating nonchalantly, seeming rather bored by it all, and Lukas and Aemilia smiling at each other while the former rubbed a gentle hand over the latter's belly. Lizzie and Tony were chatting quietly amongst themselves, and Viktor took a moment to grin to himself before picking up his wine glass and deciding that now was time to cut the games.

"You people," he said with a ghost of a laugh, flaunting his dominion over the subordinates he held in such poor regard, "think that you are so clever. And maybe in some ways you are. After all, you're _here_ , in _this_ manor, the home that was meant to be the Orlov family crown jewel before my brother's _untimely death_ ," he glanced briefly and pointedly to Lukas, "ruined all of that. But none of you will ever be worthy to even stand in his shadow."

"I stood in that exact shadow that you speak of long enough, Uncle," Lukas replied. "It's a cold, barren place that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. But please, do go on. Your attempts at rewriting history are always amusing."

"You speak as if you have ever left his shadow," Viktor laughed.

Lukas grinned back. "You speak as if I would spare my glass of water if you were to catch fire at this very moment."

Summer choked on her wine. She coughed and glanced at Bucky, who winked at her and was back to eating now, watching and waiting for the whole ordeal to wrap up so that he could take his wife to bed and finally be done with the day.

But he would have to keep waiting, judging by what happened next. Viktor turned his gaze to Bucky following Lukas' blisteringly dismissive words, remarking casually, "Every chain has a weak link. I've had my suspicions all along, but now I see the true chink in your collective armor."

Bucky waved a hand and muttered, "You just gonna speak in cryptic fuckin' riddles or are you gonna -"

"Your wife, Captain," Viktor interrupted.

With those three words, the atmosphere in the room shifted and Summer's heart stopped beating for a moment. Her eyes widening and ears suddenly on fire as all eyes turned to her, including Viktor's, and she could suddenly barely swallow the mouthful of food she'd been chewing.

"I'd stop there if I were you, Viktor," Bucky warned him, eyes turning dangerous for the first time that night.

All it took was one glance around the table for Viktor to know that he'd just struck exactly the nerve that he was looking for. Everyone from Frieda to Thor to Sam to Aemilia were glaring daggers at him, and it only served as further confirmation to his theory, which he was rather excited to share.

"Tell me, Barnes," Viktor said with his eyes fixed squarely and unnervingly upon Summer, meal all but forgotten now. "When did everything start falling apart? It was when she arrived, was it not?"

Aemilia spoke up before Bucky could. "And why did she arrive in the first place, exactly? Was it not the archaic ideas of you and the other men like you within the leadership?"

Viktor shrugged. "The marriage was the right call. But that isn't my point."

"Of course not," Frieda rolled her eyes as Summer sat there and watched it all unfold, anxiety twisting low in her gut. "God forbid you accept a shred of responsibility."

Victor pretended not to hear her, smiling at Summer now and increasing her anxiety tenfold. "Funny, isn't it, how one little girl can lay waste to something so much bigger than her."

Summer blinked once, twice, and then spoke before she could think better of it, just as Aemilia gripped her hand comfortingly under the table. "I'm - you're kidding, right? I know that I caused this whole... war when I shot that guy - when I shot Xu's son - but what else was I supposed to do? He was about to kill Lukas and I couldn't just... stand there and watch it happen."

"No, no, of course you couldn't," Viktor replied in a falsely soothing tone. "Because you are a sweet little girl who has come to care for the monsters you were sold to, aren't you?"

"She's not a fucking little girl," Bucky spat, to Summer's surprise. "If you're gonna run your mouth at her you better damn well show her some fucking respect."

Viktor's eyes flickered from Summer to her indignant husband before settling back upon her. "My apologies, Mrs. Barnes. My intentions aren't to insult you, or any of you - I mean that. My job is only to identify the problems at hand and present ways to solve them. And it astounds me that the answer to all of it, the end to this silly, costly war, is sitting right in front of all of you and yet none of you have the balls to do it."

This time it was Natasha who spoke up. "Enough riddles. What do you propose, Victor? In English."

Viktor leaned back in his seat and shrugged. "We should give Xu what he wants. Give him the girl who killed his son, as an olive branch of sorts. An eye for an eye and the war is over."

It was difficult for Summer to comprehend quite how it felt to hear someone in a position of leadership so casually and lightly advocate for her to die a brutal and merciless death at the hands of the Triad. Shock and nausea were the first things she registered, the urge to be sick nearly overwhelming her until she sucked in a deep breath and heard the sound of a chair leg scraping against the floor and a blade being quickly unsheathed. Her eyes flew to Bucky just in time to see him stand up and, eyes chillingly dark but deadly calm, stride straight to Viktor's chair and grab him by the back of the collar of his shirt, then slam him down face first into the table with the sharp tip of his knife pressed directly to his jugular. Viktor's security men, posted at both of the dining room exits, tensed and reached for their guns but didn't draw them.

Summer watched with almost comically wide eyes as Bucky leaned down over him and growled menacingly into his ear, "Another fucking word out of your mouth like that and I'll send you back to Russia without a tongue. Last time someone tried to hurt my wife I sent him home with half his dick cut off, so you wanna call my bluff, be my fucking guest you piece of shit."

Every jaw in the room was on the floor, including even Lukas who had previously thought that nothing Bucky could ever do would shock him. Summer felt like the world stood still for a moment, having no idea what to expect next and feeling a strange surge of both fear and incredible love from deep within. Bucky was possibly out of his mind and definitely the most terrifying man she'd ever met, but he was willing to burn the world down for her and she didn't think that she could possibly ever love him more than she did in that moment.

And if that made her a sick, twisted monster, then so be it, she decided.

Viktor nodded carefully and lifted his hands in surrender. Bucky then removed the blade from its place pressed to his throat and sheathed it, casually running a hand through his hair and out of his face as he strode back to his seat.

Viktor straightened up and avoided eye contact with anyone, fixing his now rumpled clothing as Bucky sat back down and Summer stared at him with her big blue eyes a little watery and full of love and mild terror. He simply looked at her like she was the very center of his world - because she just might have been - and took a moment to rub his palm over her knee under the table, the touch soft and sweet and the exact opposite of what he'd just displayed a moment earlier.

 _God_ , she loved him.

A moment or two of pure, deafening silence later, Viktor cleared his threat and said, "I have to make a call." He then excused himself and stood up to leave while everyone else tried not to grin or burst out giggling at his sudden need to get away, heading upstairs while his men followed along.

"Take all the time you need, darling," Frieda smiled after him as he walked away.

Once he was gone, the table remained silent for a moment until Lukas let out a quiet little chuckle and said, "Not to quote an old, silly meme, but... mark me down as scared _and_ horny."

Bucky rolled his eyes and picked his fork back up. "Fuck off."

"Ah, family reunions," Thor laughed, digging back in himself. "Just like Thanksgiving as children."

"Your uncle used to being held at knifepoint over a plate of prime rib?" Natasha asked lightly.

"More or less," Thor smiled.

But even as conversation turned light again and the shock of the previous moments wore off, Summer couldn't quite shake the discomfort and unease she felt following Viktor's questionable definition of an olive branch. She tried to push it away and just continue eating but she realized that it showed on her face when she felt a gentle kick at her foot from under the table. She looked up and found the culprit to be Sam, smiling gently at her and knowing her more than well enough to know by now when she wasn't okay.

"Hey Marshmallow," he nodded. "Don't let that old dumbass get to you. If he wants to hand you over to the Triad he's gonna have to go through me first, and I can guarantee you that guy hasn't landed a punch since, like, at least the Nixon administration."

That made Summer laugh. Frieda chimed in with a chuckle of her own and replied, "Oh, that man can barely open a jar of pickles on his own. I'd have him bleeding out with this buried in his throat," she held up her steak knife for emphasis, "before he could so much as lay a finger on her."

"I might be officially waddling as of this week but," Aemilia added, "I can still pack quite the punch as well. My thighs have never been so enormous - I could suffocate him in seconds."

"You'd never get the chance," Thor replied, waving his fork. "I'd punch him once and he'd immediately lapse into a coma."

"Well," Lizzie piped up, "I might not be some super skilled crazy ninja like the rest of you are, but I'd totally take off my high heel and jam it into one of his little beady eyes before he even managed to look at my little girl the wrong way."

"Wouldn't let that happen," Tony shook his head. "I'd just drag him into my lab and start testing random prototypes on him. Eventually one would blow up and he'd be toast."

"Excuse me," Sam interjected, "I'm her damn bodyguard so if anybody's gonna be bringing the pain, it's me."

"You'd all be wasting your time," Natasha shook her head, "because I'd just take off my shirt and flash him, and he'd have a stroke on the spot. Probably hasn't seen a real life pair of breasts since the moon landing. If ever."

Summer couldn't help it - she cracked up laughing. Natasha laughed with her, glad to see her words have the intended effect, and while Viktor may have seen Summer as the weak link whose arrival had set off a snowball effect that was now threatening to crush them all, those moments showed her for what she truly was. She was an ordinary woman thrown headfirst into an extraordinary and brutal new world full of death and danger and mayhem, but she had found her place within it and was now one of them. And if someone threatened her, they threatened all of them.

"And might I just add," Lukas said after Summer's laughter had subsided, "none of you would ever get the chance to dispose of him first because I would have him laid out and dismembered before you could so much as draw a weapon. This woman," he nodded to Summer, looking her in the eyes, "is the reason I'm alive today. I don't take such things lightly."

Summer smiled at him, another swell of emotion rising in her chest and filling her with a strange sort of relief. She'd felt nothing but anger and sadness and confusion since her father had died, but now with her adopted family rallying around her and saying things to her that she knew she'd never forget for all of her days, she felt a little more human and more like herself. And how on earth could she repay them for that?

"... I love all of you," she smiled, trying not to cry and make a fool out of herself. "I just... you guys have no idea."

"Oh yes we do," Aemilia smiled back, hugging her with an arm around her shoulders. "And I have no problem speaking for everyone when I say the feeling is mutual."

Summer let out a sigh, hugging her back and nodding, trying to hold it together. She glanced at Bucky after she pulled away and found him watching her with a small, affectionate smile on his pretty face, and the warmth within her only grew.

She had no idea how a place so frightening and intimidating could feel like home, and yet it did. She'd never felt like she belonged somewhere so much as she did in that moment, or more loved and cared for. It was crazy, but damn if she wasn't grateful more than words could express.

"So... dessert, anyone?" Frieda asked, gesturing to the staff to go and fetch it. "No use in letting it go to waste, hm?"

* * *

For all the fuss over the dinner party from hell, by the time it was over the clock had barely struck 8:30. Summer couldn't believe it, thinking initially that it might have been pushing midnight for how tired she was, but instead the night was barely over.

Physically she was even more exhausted now but mentally... she knew she was in for another night of fitful sleep, and if she knew herself at all, she'd bet money that she would lay awake replaying Viktor's threat until her stomach was an aching, anxious mess.

But at least until then, she had Bucky to keep her company.

"So," he said as he led her up the stairs towards their room, "I've got a surprise for you."

Her eyes flashed up to his in curiosity. "Really? A surprise? What kinda surprise?"

"If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?" he chuckled, sliding an arm around her waist as they walked down the hallway. "Don't get excited, though. It's nothing big or anything, s'just... I don't know. You'll see."

"... Okay," she smiled, having no idea what to expect but enjoying the anticipation while it lasted. Whatever it was, she had no doubt that she would love it. And she wasn't wrong.

"All right, so... I had the staff take care of a few things for me while we were busy downstairs," Bucky explained when they reached his door. He opened it and led Summer inside, and a smile broke across her face as she when she saw what Bucky had arranged for her. "Thought you could use a night of just..." He paused and raised an eyebrow and decided on, "Cuddling."

His bed was piled high with extra pillows and a fuzzy blanket she'd never seen before. Next to the bed was a literal basket full of goodies - she spotted cookies and chocolate just upon a quick glance - and there was a huge stack of Blu Rays on his dresser waiting for her to choose from.

"When you're ready to watch something I'll call down and have Aemilia's hot chocolate sent up, she made a shit ton in advance," Bucky explained, scratching behind his neck as if he was nervous. Summer looked up at him with a silly smile on her face and he responded with one of his own before gesturing to the bathroom. "But... first I thought maybe you'd wanna take a bath, so..."

"Are you... like... is this _operation spoil me_?" she asked, a little flummoxed because as amazingly as he treated her on a daily basis... this was new.

His smile lingered and he nodded. "... Yeah, that's the idea. You've been through hell, sweetheart - even worse after dinner tonight, and I wasn't even banking on that. So yeah... guess I just... just wanted to... take care of you?"

The way that he said it like a question made her heart melt. This was all still so new to him, the very concept of a relationship and taking care of another person like this, but he was doing an incredible job regardless. She was sure he'd gotten advice from Lukas or Aemilia, but that didn't take away any of the credit, either.

She stepped up closer to him and kissed him softly, not a passionate, consuming kiss but the longest and sweetest one they'd shared since before her father's death. "I love you," she told him quietly when she pulled away, and the way that he smiled at her words made her melt all over again.

"I love you too," he replied, briefly cupping her face and brushing his thumb over cheek. "Bath now?"

She nodded. A bath in his ridiculously luxurious tub sounded like the best thing in the entire world, and once he got her in there, it pretty much was.

It was the first time she shared a bath with Bucky without it turning any degree of sexual, which she hadn't thought was possible but to her surprise, it was. Instead of their kisses and touches inevitably leading to more they simply provided her comfort and a much needed distraction, his affection and light, pleasant conversation working wonders on her frayed nerves. He didn't try to coax her into more, didn't let his kisses linger for too long or let his hands drift where they usually did. His respect for her and her state of mind was something she'd never take for granted.

After the bath, he helped bundle her up in a robe that felt like nothing short of heaven on her skin and didn't even let her walk to bed, insisting instead on picking her up and carrying there. She tried to protest but she not-so-secretly loved it, adoring his every last attempt to spoil her and make her feel better after the hellish week that she'd had.

Once they were snuggled up in bed together knee deep in the best hot chocolate in the world and snacks that would probably wreck their diets for a solid few weeks, watching _The Proposal_ because Summer couldn't bear to watch anything with heavy themes, it started to hit her just how simultaneously lucky _and_ unlucky she was. It was the strangest thing, to endure so much and lose so much and to utterly hate it but then to also feel so damn lucky to have the husband that she did, warm and caring and everything she thought he wasn't when she had first met him.

She certainly wouldn't have believed anyone back then had they told her that one day she'd be cuddled up with him in a sea of pillows in his bed, watching a cheesy romantic comedy and giggling softly whenever he'd lay sweet, gentle kisses along her neck. The same man who had graphically threatened to cut out a man's tongue at the dinner table just a few hours earlier on her behalf being also capable of such tenderness and sweetness that it made her head spin in the best way.

Nobody else could ever love her like that, she was sure of it. Fate might have utterly wrecked her life and taken more from her than she knew how to handle, but it had also given her _him_ and... well, she didn't know where she'd be without him.

"Hey, Bucky?" she asked during a quiet point in the movie, glancing at him over her shoulder as he played big spoon to her little spoon.

"Yeah, baby," he murmured, his arm around her waist and breath tickling the shell of her ear.

"That thing you did to Viktor... is that... are you gonna get in trouble now? I mean... I know he's technically above you, so..."

"Nah, don't worry about it," Bucky assured her. "This is the Bratva, Summer. Sometimes shit like that's the only way to get your point across. And he respects brute force. That's part of why I did it."

"... It's so weird," she sighed. "We go through all this trouble to welcome him and make a big deal about it, and then he just ends up being a jerk who hates Lukas and puts Thor on a pedestal and then you threaten to kill him over dinner. Like... just... _what_?"

Bucky chuckled. "Yeah. Viktor's a lot like his brother, Thor and Lukas' dad. Same outdated beliefs and ideas. Just as big of a fuckin' dick. Well, not literally, since he's short as fuck."

That made her giggle again. "I was expecting this big, tall, intimidating guy, and then..."

"That was their dad. Viktor got the short end of the stick." He paused. "Literally. I think that's part of why he hates Lukas so much. Everyone's always thought of Lukas as the weaker brother and Thor the natural heir, but then Thor didn't want to lead and Lukas did. He achieved what Viktor didn't, so... even more reason to be a bitter old bastard."

"... What a waste of time," Summer muttered. "To have family and take it for granted and hate them for no reason."

"Yeah," Bucky agreed, holding her a little more closely and kissing her under her ear. "We know better. Unfortunately."

She closed her eyes took a breath, knowing exactly what he meant. They'd both lost so much - too much. They knew just how precious family was and how easy it was to lose it, and how important it was to protect it.

"Thank you for all of this," she told him, shifting to lay more on her back so she could face him. He smiled at her and she smiled back, her hand on his scruffy jaw as she added, "You're amazing."

"No, you're amazing," he murmured sincerely. "So fucking strong."

Her brows inched up he forehead in genuine confusion. "... Me? God, I've been a mess all week. Are you kidding me?"

"Not even a little," he shook his head. "Just trust me on this, sweetheart."

"I..."

"Shhh," he hushed her, pulling her close and resting her head on his chest. "C'mere. No questioning your Captain."

She grinned at that, relaxing into his embrace and closing her eyes, sleepiness sneaking up on her in an incredibly welcome way. "Yes sir," she replied through a yawn. "Roger that."

"Good girl," he murmured, running his fingers through her hair and catching her yawn a moment later.

The sleep that had been eluding her for so long finally came at last, dragging her off into a blessedly peaceful slumber but not before a subtle but significant shift took place within her mind. All week she had been fighting what she'd seen at her father's apartment, either seething with anger or wishing she'd done something to prevent it, and in other moments, trying to simply pretend that none of it had ever happened. But each of those were stages of grief, natural reactions to suffering such a terrible loss and in such a graphic way, and they couldn't last forever.

It hit her in those quiet moments between wakefulness and sleep. Her father really was gone. He was gone and there was nothing she could do about it. He had made his choices and so had she, and both had led them here, for better or worse. There was no changing it. No amount of anger or bargaining or denial could bring him back. There was nothing left to do but accept reality, learn from it, move on, and try to remember Michael at his best.

 _Acceptance_. The word floated through her mind and set her heart at ease as she drifted off. She slept for ten hours straight without waking that night, Bucky never leaving her side once.

She was gonna be okay. She wasn't yet, but she would be in time. And that was all any survivor could ever do.


End file.
